Sick Day
by Cor Caroli Venatiicorum
Summary: (Gravity Rush 2 Fanfiction): A storm crosses over Jirga Para Lhao and Hekseville, and Raven must take care of an ill Kat that had spent to much time outside in the rain.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note:

This story contains potential spoilers for the Gravity Rush and Gravity Rush 2 games. So please, make sure you play the games and then come back to read it.

Also, for an added experience youtube 'storm sounds' while you're reading the story, it really inspired me when writing this. ~ Cor Caroli V

* * *

 **Sick Day**

Torrential rain poured down from layers of black circling clouds that stretched across the entire horizon and enveloped Jirga Para Lhao and Hekseville in a shadowy darkness.

Kat sneezed and wiped her nose with a frozen hand as another cluster of icy raindrops pierced her skin. She focused her gravity powers to lift the last crate onto the back of the overloaded air boat.

It had been hours of this same repetitive gravity-lifting. Kat was exhausted. Her feline companion Dusty sat in a puddle beside her, seemingly unaffected by the pelting rain.

Barjoun, the delivery manager strapped and secured the last crate to the air boat, jumped down next to Kat and hastily patted her wet cold shoulder. He was also soaked from head to toe.

"Thanks again, Kat! I wouldn't of made this delivery on time if you hadn't helped!" Barjoun smiled gratefully, water dripping from his bearded chin. "If my second air boat hadn't crapped out in this weather, we could of had these crates transported twice as fast."

Words escaped Kat between cold breaths and chattering teeth, "Oh, it... it was... was nothing. It was just… just luck that I had almost fin..finished my patrol and… and saw your broken air boat in… Lei ...Lei Havana."

Although Kat slightly regretted helping Barjoun when she could have been at home by now eating donuts and Lhao skewers, she was just relieved they both could finally get out of this unrelenting rain.

Barjoun smiled one last time. "You're a life saviour, make sure you get home safe and warm up! I'm not sure how long this storm is going to last." And with that he hurried into his sputtering air boat and disappeared into the hazy, charcoal sky to finish his last delivery.

Kat sneezed and looked down at Dusty with tired red eyes. The steady rain had plastered her blonde hair to her neck and face. Her damp black one-piece clung to her skin. Her stomach growled with anticipation.

"Come on Dusty... let's stop by that donut shop in Vendecentre before we head home! I think we deserve it after having this kind of day!"

Dusty meowed beside her as Kat stiffly made her way to the edge of the air boat dock. The rain whirled around the pair in a complex, rhythmic dance.

Kat wondered how Raven's patrol of Hekseville went and if the blue-eyed girl looked as soaked as she was. She pictured Raven drenched head to toe, her long black and red hair looking like she had just stepped out of the shower and her exposed skin between her one-piece having little goosebumps. Kat inwardly shook her head with a small smile. If anything, Raven was the responsible one to avoid getting that wet and would surely scold Kat if she saw the red-eyed girl like this.

 _Still, Raven's pale skin and blue eyes would look so pretty in the rain… I wonder what it would be like to touch..._

Dusty meowed again and Kat snapped out of it, instantly embarrassed. A tinge of red warmed her frozen cheeks. She had been standing at the edge of the dock, staring out at the stormy graphite sky, fantasizing. Rain continued to drip off her nose and chin.

Kat couldn't help but realize that lately she had been having more of these daydreams and confusing thoughts about Raven. Each time she did it caused a hard pulsing in her chest. She didn't quite understand how it was so hard to be around Raven without being awkward and flustered.

She needed to push these thoughts away for another time, standing out in the rain wasn't going to help with how tired, cold, and hungry she was.

Kat didn't hesitate any longer and stepped off the Lei Havana air boat landing, free-falling just like the droplets of rain that surrounded her before she activated her gravity powers towards Vendecentre.

Her stomach had a date with a creamy glazed-filled donut that she couldn't miss, even in this weather.

o x o

Thunder. It rumbled and echoed across the rolling azure sky. The wind picked up, growing more forceful and swirling the rain around in vortices between the floating islands.

Kat could see shingles creak and flap from the wind and rain on resident's rooftops as she crossed over Lei Colmosna. Shop keepers bustled to bring their produce, wears, tables and chairs inside and then lowered their heavy metal shop screens. People urgently opened large heavy tankards on their balconies and roofs for collecting rain water before retreating inside. Air boats were docked and roped down. Signs and trees swayed aggressively.

Kat landed in the market square to quickly restore her drained gravity power. The city's overhead speakers, attached randomly to sides of buildings, broadcasted their warning through the storm, " _This is an announcement. Unusual environmental storm detected across Hekseville and Jirga Para Lhao. All residents must evacuate to the nearest shelter. I repeat…_ "

A large piece of shingling from a nearby roof loosened with a loud screech, thrashed in the wind, whizzed by Kat before it hurtled itself over the edge of the island.

Kat winced and stumbled. Her body was a frozen numbness, her head throbbed from the onslaught of pounding rain that hit it. Her forehead felt unnaturally hot against the rain. The wind caused her wet hair and scarf to whip around her wildly.

Dusty reappeared and tilted its head to the side, making it look quizzical.

"Dusty… something's wrong, I don't feel too good." Kat rubbed the stuff coming out of her nose against her sleeve. She guessed being tired, cold, and hungry for so long finally caught up to her.

"Ugh, Creators! I really wanted that donut before we headed home. But feeling like this and in this weather..." Kat moaned, thinking about its creamy-glazed insides never to be united with her mouth.

A frozen moment of contemplation passed.

With grim determination she looked out towards the wall of vicious storm that separated her from her precious craving. "Ah what the heck, I'm sure I'll be back to normal as soon as I get a taste of it! The stall better not be closed! No storm is going to stop me!"

An angry resolute bubbled in her and Kat lifted herself up, staggered forward a few steps before doing a Lunar style leap off the floating island's edge. The wind howled. The storm effortlessly swallowed the gravity shifter into its bitter embrace.

Instinctively, Kat knew that this direction would take her towards Vendecentre.

Raven would probably - no - definitely scold her for this if she found out.

o x o

The blue-eyed gravity shifter sheltered herself under the large apple advertisement that sat upon one of rooftops encircling downtown Vendecentre square. Her raven, Xii, was perched on the arrow that was lodged in the apple, stoic and unfazed by the current storm.

What had began as a slow pitter-patter against the roofs and windows from earlier in the morning had steadily built up to a hard steady downpour; the rain hitting the buildings and windows with sharp _tings_ that fell down to the streets and raced along the gutters. It started to overwhelm the drains.

Raven scanned freedom square and pushed her damp long wavy hair back with one hand, satisfied for the moment. She had opened the last of the water tankards on the Vendecentre rooftops, while reminding residents to stay inside over the broadcasts.

Only a few residents remained outside, each hurrying to the safety and warmth of their homes. The robotic grigos were no where to be seen.

Raven spoke quietly, "I guess this means I'm all done my duties for today. Kat's probably been at home for awhile now, eating her handfuls of Lhao skewers." An image of the Gravity Queen sprawled out lazily on her bed wolfing down three juicy Lhao skewers at once filled her mind. Raven inwardly cringed at the very real possibility in which that scenario was happening right now.

Raven took a long, deep breath and hesitantly contemplated if she should go and visit the Gravity Queen. However, lately, Raven noticed that Kat had been acting strangely towards her. When questioned about anything, Kat only gave her short, curt answers instead of her usual long drawn out banter on subjects. She had stopped teasing Raven and, instead, found quick excuses to leave, either to go on patrol or to talk to Lisa or Syd about an important matter.

 _What did I do to make Kat so upset at me?_ Raven frowned, finding no obvious answer to her question.

Unless Raven went over there now and confronted her about it, the dark-haired girl didn't know if the issue would clear up on its own.

Plus, she wouldn't mind stealing a delicious skewer or two from the other shifter.

Glowing blue, she jumped up and turned from the square. Raven focused her personal gravity so that the falling rain and wind seemed to hit an invisible spherical barrier around her. She felt her body go weightless and she let gravity pull her feet- first towards the outermost building that had a veranda and theatre type set-up so that citizens could watch a giant monitor the government had installed for broadcasts.

Raven landed between swaying trees and grabbed onto the railing. Her blue-eyes gazed towards the direction of Jirga Para Lhao. Dark, ominous clouds seemed to be intensified in that area and flashes of white light interrupted its dark sky. The fierce storm made it difficult to see any sort of outline of a floating island in the distance.

Raven reflected that Kat had the harder patrolling job today as the Jirga Para Lhao region was wider and more expansive with all the numerous floating islands and their different levels. A sinking feeling nestled deep in her chest as she worried about the many possibilities the blonde-haired girl may have gotten herself into. Raven knew from experience that the free-spirited and optimistic Gravity Queen had a knack for helping citizens out with random jobs and in the oddest of circumstances.

Even in a storm, Kat would help whoever was in need.

Mentally kicking herself for always thinking of the worst, Raven was just about to turn her gaze away from the stormy abyss when a slight faintness of something crimson caught her attention.

A small burning light emerged from a dark sea of violent wind and rain.

Raven's piercing blue eyes narrowed and she instinctively started to track the red projectiles flight path. The sounds of wind and rain around her seemed to minimize as she focused on the small being shooting towards her.

Time slowed. Her blood started to pulse hard in her head and chest. Her breath stopped. Her fingers tightened around the railing and her hair whipped aggressively behind her. Raven's usual icy detached demeanour showed signs of cracking.

 _What is she doing thinking she can be shifting through that?! Is she that careless about her own well-being... If she thinks she's going to sneak this past me then she has another thing coming!_ Regardless of how Kat's actions were towards her recently, Raven's thoughts were irrationally angry.

Kat's crimson aura staggered in the wind as she kept coming closer and closer to Vendecentre. Raven could vaguely make out Kat's form. The shifter's head was tucked into her chest, her face was obscured by wet blonde hair, and her arms hugged tightly around her bent knees.

Something was wrong with Kat and it caused a sudden sharp, painful stab somewhere deep inside Raven.

Unconsciously, Raven's body turned a dark ethereal sapphire and without hestiation she jumped off the building and directed her gravity towards Kat. Her heart beat louder and faster.

Kat's shifting course was arching down towards a small corner plaza of shops and a train entrance without any deceleration for a smooth landing. Although Kat had trained her body to take hard impacts, Raven knew Kat would still feel the soreness of a rough landing, days after, even if she didn't say it.

A streak of dark sapphire cut through the storm like a swinging blade.

Raven, being a faster gravity shifter than Kat, caught up behind Kat's tail, their auras started to merge together as lamp posts, trees and signs whizzed past them in a daze. Raven wrapped her arms around Kat's cold, wet body just in time as Raven dug her heels into a sea of wet tiles. A long trail of up-rooted cobblestones and debris formed on one of Vendecentre's lower levels as their speeds were slowed and halted. Their gravity powers extinguished.

The rain drummed around them in a hard rhythmic, isolated beat.

Raven looked down at Kat, fear and worry etched on her face as she held the Gravity Queen in her arms. Kat shivered uncontrollably in a hot and cold mess, her eyes closed and her hands clenched into tight fists around her body. Raven could feel Kat's body frozen to the touch. Tiny ice flakes covered the ends of her clothes.

A weak voice uttered out of Kat, "Help me…please..."

o x o

Kat awoke feverishly in her pipe house. She was in her bed, her sheets encircled her like a warm hug. A damp, wet cloth covered her forehead.

Kat looked wearily around the room. Candles burned brightly from her book shelf, side table, and overhanging chandelier, which enveloped her small drainage pipe in a warm, ambient glow. A large kettle was being heated on her single-burner hot plate on the circular rug. Dusty was curled up in his basket on the floor as Raven's bird nestled on one of the rocking chair handles.

Looking past the animals, Kat saw Raven push her entrance sheet a bit to the side. She was wringing something out, her arms stretched outside the pipe. The sounds of the raging storm heard past Raven continued to threaten into the darkening night.

"Raven… what happened? How did I get here?" Kat asked, weakly, as she tried to pull herself upright in the bed but failed.

Raven looked back, startled that the blonde-haired girl had awoken. At once, Raven made her way to Kat, putting the black cloth she had been wringing out down on the small desk.

"Kat… I found you in Vendecentre, chilled to the bone. You were shivering and really out of it... so I brought you home." Raven said slowly, as she sat on the bed next to Kat and studied her pale, moistened face.

"Oh… you didn't have to do that Raven." Kat said, sheepishly.

"Yes I did, everyone in Hekseville was already indoors, protecting themselves from this storm." Raven continued, narrowing her penetrating blue eyes down at Kat. "What were you thinking trying to cross that storm? Why weren't you already at home Kat? A patrol shouldn't have taken you _that_ long even in this rain."

"Ah.. ha, well you see," Kat's cheeks and forehead started to burn and she felt her body ache with chills, "…you see, I was helping Barjoun with moving some crates. I saw one of his delivery air boats broken in the rain over in Lei Havana." Kat sneezed. "I just didn't think it would take that long, but there were more crates than I had anticipated. I just couldn't leave him to do it on his own, Raven... " Kat's voice fell silent.

A long, delicate pause came between them. Both had realized that this conversation was the most they had said to each other in weeks.

The candles flickered and a low thunderous rumble was heard outside.

Kat kept her eyes down, her heart pounded in her chest from Raven sitting so close to her… on her bed, analyzing her. Her hands balled up beside her. Her fever was intermittently subdued. It was so difficult to meet Raven's eyes.

 _Why was it so difficult?_

"I kinda knew you would get yourself into some sort of trouble like that." Raven murmured, amused, and let out a soft, pent-up sigh.

Just then, Kat's stomach let out a slow growl. The blonde-haired girl tried to recoil into her bed, embarrassed that her gut would make such a noise at this moment. Raven unleashed a rare small smile, which caused Kat's chest to tie into knots.

"How about I make you some food?" Raven asked evenly, as she got up from the bed and began to look around for some type of edible item that she could cook up. A moment of searching yielded only a half-filled jar of small pretzels lying under Kat's bed amongst a clutter of empty bottles and various trinkets.

Kat let out a mortified, apologetic half-hearted laugh. "Sorry Raven, I haven't had time lately to pick up food from the market. _Or the money…_ And… I don't need you to cook for me when I have these perfectly appetizing pretzels to eat…" Kat lied, as she hoped Raven would be convinced.

"No." Raven said, bluntly. She looked seriously over at the Gravity Queen. A spark of stubbornness blanketed Raven's features. "You're sick Kat, so please for once in your life let other people help you…"

Kat didn't know what to say. Neither did she have the energy to come up with an argument as another wave of fever caused her eyelids to droop and her clammy body to go limp. Kat felt hot, cornered and naked under the sheets.

"I'm going to see if there are any Auldnoir shops open at this time and in this weather." Raven strategized, then recollected, "I think I remember Syd saying that there was a shop open 24 hours on one of the lower levels not far from your place."

Raven retreated to the pipe's entrance. Knowingly, Raven's otherworldly bird had perked up from its resting spot and had hopped onto the dark-haired girls' shoulder. Raven glanced back at Kat.

Kat's head tossed feverishly back and forth. "No Raven, please... don't go... it's too dangerous and I…" Kat's plea was cut short by Raven.

"Don't worry, I won't be long. Just focus on getting better." And with a quick _swish_ of the entrance sheet Raven had shifted into the pouring rain.

Kat let out an extended, exasperated, dejected moan.

Today had not gone as she smoothly as she had planned. First, the weather, then her donut run failure, followed by this cold and, now, Raven having to take care of her. Kat couldn't think of anything worse than having Raven see her like this. All sweaty and gross. It made Kat's heart hurt.

The Gravity Queen meekly brushed sweat off her brow before putting her arm under the covers to rest on her bare, clammy stomach. She really did feel naked and exposed under these sheets.

 _Wait a second…_

Kat panicked, her hand searched for a trace of her black one-piece on her body.

 _Am I naked?_

Kat wondered frantically and looked towards the wet black cloth that Raven had put down on the desk earlier. Next to it, her gold elastic framing, which held down her clothing, rested.

A slow, deep shade of crimson hue crept up her face, a shade not even a fever could disguise.

Dusty shuffled around, picked himself up and found a comfortable position to rest again as he preceded to ignore Kat's mortified shrill.

o x o

It didn't take long for Raven to find the shop that Syd had mentioned.

The colossal inner lower levels of Auldnoir were relatively sheltered from the turbulent wind due to its multitude of residential layers packed tightly together. Raven's route was illuminated by a thousand lights that shone brilliantly out of stacked windows against the stormy darkness. However, these lower layers amassed waterfalls of rain as it cascaded down the building's sides, flooded the paths, and continued down further to fall off the attached island's massive girder, structural beams.

Raven expended more gravity power to sustain her invisible, spherical umbrella that deflected the avalanche of rain off her body. She shifted up to the level where Aujean and Eugie's house used to be before a gravity storm destroyed it a long time ago.

Although, Raven would witness Kat frequently argue with Aujean that she had almost saved it.

The shop was nestled within a pedway tunnel that connected two adjacent lower-level residential sectors, making it reasonably concealed from the destructive weather. It had a plain white door and two brightly lit caged windows on its right side. A red neon sign, which stated it was a 24-hour shop, was bolted above its door.

Raven released her gravity power. Xii reappeared, perched on the sign, and watched as Raven went inside.

The door chimed softly. The air was filled with different aromas of herbs and spices. Circular lanterns hung in columns across the room in a warming, colourful orientation. There were two rows of dark green produce displayed and a long smoky grill in the back with someone cooking meat on it. A wall of crated bottles was stacked on top of each other at the side. People sat in front of the grill around wooden tables, laughing and enjoying large bowls of pork, vegetables, and broth.

Raven's mouth watered as she approached. She thought the old man that cooked at the grill looked uncannily similar to Gade the Creator, except this man was much shorter and rounder with large, dark circular glasses that covered his face.

"Well hello shifter what brings you in from this awful weather?" The old man recognized the famous Hekseville saviour instantly and radiated a bubbly friendliness.

Then the others at the table glanced over at the beautiful dark-haired girl, some awe-struck, while others excitedly interrupted each others conversation to barrage Raven with praise and questions.

"Oh wow, Raven! I can't believe you're here -"

"Thank-you for saving our city and destroying that monstrous Nevi like it was nothing -"

"You and Kat really are something-"

"Isn't this storm crazy-"

"What's it like using using your gravity powers-"

Raven took an self-conscious and uncomfortable step back and wondered where to begin. The popularity that came with being a gravity shifter still seemed unnatural to her. Kat, on the other hand, took it in stride, and would of answered them with as much thrill and enthusiasm as they gave.

Before Raven could reply, the cook cleared his throat loudly and waved his grilling tongs at them, "Now now that's not how my customers get treated here. If you guys keep this up, there won't be any extra pieces of meat in your next meals." His bubbly voice had an undertone of rebuke. The barrage of voices protested and then subsided. The people retreated back to their chairs, grudgingly, but they continued to discreetly watch the two. Raven couldn't help but feel a bit relieved.

"Now what can I get you?" The cook returned to his normal exuberance and smiled at Raven.

"I came to pick up a few supplies for stew." Raven said, as she regained her composure.

To speed things up Raven gestured to the people's dishes. "I'll take what's in their bowls. It smells delicious."

"Of course, their bowls have a blend of Jirga Para Lhao spices that I recently got in." He opened a brown bag, started putting ingredients in, and chuckled. "... these spices might have a small aphrodisiac effect but it wears off quite quickly. The meat is grilled pork, lightly salted and seasoned. I also put in a bunch of home-grown vegetables. They're soft and savoury if you cook them in the broth first." The old man was clearly passionate about his recipe.

Raven's stomach turned over. She didn't know how starved she was until now. If Kat was standing next to her, the Gravity Queen would be a giddy, drooling mess before the man had finished his speech. The cook was about to explain his intricate grilling method when the door chimed and a familiar voice filled the shop.

"Raven? Fancy seeing you in a place like this! Market stall food not agreeing with you." Syd bantered playfully. He was drenched; his helmet, shirt and jeans dripping wet as he moved and picked up a crate of wine bottles. "I guess with this monsoon outside everyones closed up shop... except for good ol' Albin."

Syd gestured to the cook, who returned Syd's comment with a light chuckle.

Raven eyed the policeman and his wine as he approached. "I could say the same to you. Aren't you suppose to be in Banga helping Lisa and Cecei with council business."

Syd waved his free hand in the air, his laid back attitude in full force. "Yes, and meetings this late into the evening call for precious wine. Believe me, discussions on government mergers between Jirga Para Lhao and Hekseville get more interesting after a glass or two."

Raven let out an irritated, icy exhale. "So you came all the way here from Banga in this crazy storm to get wine…"

"Just as you did to get food." Syd countered slyly. "I'm surprised the Gravity Queen isn't with you. She isn't the type to pass on a late-night food run." He placed a few small gems down on the counter. Albin finished with his bag full of ingredients and handed it over to Raven.

Raven hugged the bag to her chest, her voice quiet as she spoke, "I'm actually here to get food _for_ Kat. She got sick from staying out in the rain all day and I don't think she's eaten for awhile."

A flash of worry crossed Syd's eyes before they returned back to his normal, mischievous self, "Well, it's good that she has you to take care of her. I'm sure she'll really appreciate having you close by." He gave Raven a quick wink and playful push. Confused, Raven reddened despite herself. She wasn't sure what to say to that but her heart quickened.

Syd continued, "I'd stop over there but Lisa would have my head if I took any more time away from work. Please promise me you'll stay with her until she feels better, okay Raven?"

Raven nodded. She reached down to her belt to take out a few gems but Albin waved his head and hand in a polite dismissiveness. Albin proudly stated, "Keep it as a sign of appreciation for what you and the Gravity Queen do for our city... Also, I threw in some complementary goodies for snacks." He chuckled again.

Raven thanked Albin, graciously. She and Syd said their good-byes to the old man as the table of people watching them looked dismayed to see the famous shifter go. They left the shop where the storm welcomed them with a loud thunderous clap.

Syd went over to his parked air scooter and placed his wine crate down along the feet area. He put his goggles down over his eyes and started his machine. He turned back to Raven as if he had remembered something important.

"Oh Raven, Misai's been monitoring the storm's weather pattern and it looks like it's not going to be stopping for the next day or two. Make sure you and Kat stay safe and if the two of you get into any sort of trouble just use the walkie-talkie Kat keeps around. It has a direct link with mine." He patted the walkie-talkie pouch at his belt.

Raven nodded. She watched as Syd maneuvered his air bike towards the opposite end of the tunnel that Raven was heading. Outside the passageway the heavy rain beat itself against the cold, wet pavement.

"Are you sure you're going to make it back to Banga in one piece?" Raven asked brazenly.

Syd cocked his head and laughed, "It would take a lot more than wind and rain to get rid of me, Raven!"

And with that he sped down the pedway and disappeared into the tempestuous night.

o x o

With her grocery bag in hand, Raven shifted and landed on Kat's steps outside. For some reason a confused, small nervousness invaded her emotions. She hesitated for a second and took a long deep breath to dismiss it. She pushed the soaked entrance sheet to the side and went in.

Inside, everything was the same as she had left it. The candles continued to burn, if only a bit more melted. Dusty lay curled up in his basket fast asleep. Raven's bird had reappeared and resumed its spot on the rocking chair. The water kettle on the hot plate had warmed the small room as it kept the encroaching coldness outside at bay.

Raven put the grocery bag down and made her way to the bed.

Kat rested in a feverish unconsciousness. Her cute face was covered in a faintly lit, glistening sweat. Her golden hair encircled around her head like a crown. Her hands lay lifelessly on the bedsheets. Raven took one of Kat's cold hands and entwined her fingers with it.

Raven's heart sank. The flamboyant and head strong Gravity Queen that she was used to seeing now looked so unguarded, fragile and delicate like a porcelain doll. She had never seen Kat like this before. Before they were friends, Raven was taken aback by Kat's strong-will and self-assertive attitude… however now, Raven felt invigorated by Kat's unfaltering determination. Kat never wavered on her opinions when she so strongly felt that it was the right thing to do. It was intoxicating compared to Raven's own indifferent and levelheaded nature.

Raven's bright blue eyes studied Kat's expression. Kat looked to be in a stern, pained meditation as if she were fighting away invisible demons. Knots turned inside Raven's stomach. She couldn't help Kat in this fight, the two of them together always became unstoppable against any enemy that they encountered.

Almost as if they were of one mind and body sometimes...

That's why Raven didn't want to admit to herself that when Kat started to become distant with her lately it _had_ hurt. It had _really_ hurt her. Raven thought she knew Kat well enough by now to know what she was thinking… what she was feeling.

 _What happened, Kat, to make you push yourself away from me like that? What did I say or... what did I do?_

Kat stirred and Raven released her hand, embarrassed.

 _What in Creators am I doing? I'm acting like I'm expecting her to answer me right now when I should be helping her._

Raven released a low groan. She felt selfish and she didn't like it.

Raven rose from the bed and went to the bag with all the ingredients Albin had given her. The extra complementary goodies he had threw in were a few apples and cookies, which made Raven inwardly smile. She rummaged through Kat's side cupboard and found a small pot and spoon. She used the water from the kettle to start a broth and slowly added each ingredient in until it was a bubbling concoction of stew. Raven lifted the pot off the hot plate and tasted its deliciousness.

Returning to Kat's side with stew in hand, Raven gently shook Kat's shoulder.

The Gravity Queen fidgeted. She let out multiple small, painful moans until she slowly opened her transfixing crimson eyes. Raven, unknowingly, held her breath.

"Raven… you came back." Kat smiled weakly.

"Of course I came back, silly." Raven murmured, then said a little bit more confidently. "I made you some stew that I want you to eat."

"Oh perfect… you know I love food." Kat tried to joke. She attempted to raise her arm but she couldn't find the strength to lift it. "Raven, I don't think I can move."

"That's okay, I'll feed it to you." Raven said unusually gently and raised her spoon towards the blonde-haired girl's soft lips. Kat seemed to shy away briefly but relaxed once she felt the hot liquid enter her body.

Time slowed. The world around them faded from existence and the only thing that mattered at that moment were the small repeated movements Raven's spoon made between the two girls as they shared the stew. And for them, right now, that was all they needed.

Once the pot of stew was finished, Raven set it down on the side table.

"Thank you Raven… I feel better." Kat breathed tiredly. She fought to keep her eyes open but her energy was fatigued from eating. Kat closed her eyes and slumbered more peacefully than before.

Raven continued to stare at Kat for some time with her penetrating blue eyes, transfixed. The only indication that an outside world existed were the distant sounds of the coursing rain and whispering gusts of wind.

 _Kat, even in sickness, you're an indescribable beauty._

Something inside Raven became electric and it felt like her heart had hurtled itself through the sky like a meteor.

The candles flickered and it caused their shadows to dance along the drainage pipe walls.

Raven leaned her head down, closer to Kats. Her thoughts competed against each other as if she were duelling with another version of herself.

 _You always wanted to protect her._

 _She's never needed your protection._

Raven remembered holding Kat in the rain. Fear and tension taking over.

 _You know she's stronger without you._

 _But she makes me stronger..._

Raven's hand touched Kat's, their fingers entwined.

 _You always sacrificed more for her than she did for you._

 _We've both sacrificed just as much, that's why we're like this. This is why we're broken._

Their lips were so close to touching. Gravity pushed her down. Raven's heart pulsated. Her breath wavered against Kat's skin.

 _Do you remember, Sachya?_ This other version of herself echoed, then faded and disappeared from her mind.

Raven kissed Kat's soft, warm lips and everything instantly felt _familiar_ and right in this world. Everything seemed to make sense like things were falling into place where they were supposed to. Her kiss lingered and she tenderly brought her hand up to Kat's burning cheek. Her black nail polish contrasted against Kat's pale, olive skin. Raven's long black and red hair fell in waves around them.

The kiss seemed to last forever but at the same time seemed to be no more than a few seconds.

Raven released her kiss. She looked down at the Gravity Queen's slumbering form and bit into her lip.

 _What did I just do?_

Raven's slow realization caused an increasingly bright red shade to creep onto her face and chest. Her usual calm, icy facade had broken into a millions pieces.

Suddenly, a barely audible whimper broke through Kat's feverish sleep."Sachya, I'm so cold…" Her voice was unaware, in a dreamy haze.

Raven shot back, horrified. Her blue eyes flickered over Kat as if expecting her limp body to spring to life.

Kat continued to mumble distantly in her sleep for Sachya.

Raven had never felt _so_ conflicted in her life. Half of her wanted to terrifyingly shift away while the other half wanted to so badly embrace and reassure Kat.

Raven swallowed and half-fearlessly, half-timidly acted. She slid her body next to Kat on the bed, one arm tucked under her head while the other wrapped itself around Kat's waist on top of the bed sheet. The Gravity Queen seemed to settle down because Kat's head nestled into Raven's half-moon tattoo just above her breasts.

Raven's body was rigid. She knew all too well that Kat's naked body was pressing itself against hers. Raven _had_ been the one to take off Kat's soaked and icy clothes in order to prevent the Gravity Queen from freezing to death…a sort of survival instinct, but now an odd, carnal desire had started to take over her.

Raven huffed and forcibly pushed her perversive thoughts back down inside of her. In the morning, she would have to act like nothing had happened, that nothing had changed. To her, it was the most logical action to take.

But her kiss and her thoughts lingered in the back of her mind.

Outside the drainage pipe, the thunder rumbled and rolled and the rain persisted without abandon.

It was going to be a long sleepless night.

 _Continued in Chapter 2..._

* * *

Thanks for reading :) This story will be 3 chapters long and we'll be delving more into Kat and Raven's emotions next... with a few cute moments in between.

I have to give a big shout-out to Arcturius' story "Girls of a Feather Purr Together" for the inspiration. I'm hoping more people will post Kat/Raven stories, so, in the mean time, I thought I'd give it a go. ~ Cor Caroli V

Chapter 2 _update_ \- 98% done, just making minor changes, should be up soon! (Mar 29/17)


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note:

First off, thank you so much to everyone that read, favourited, followed and commented on the first chapter... I really appreciate it. I actually didn't think people would enjoy reading it that much. I know my writing skills need some work but this is good practice. For this chapter it's a little more condensed but I hope it still has the same feel as the last chapter.

Final important note: This story will be getting more heated, as it goes on, so just to give you fair warning if you have a problem with it... you can turn back now. And if you're still here have fun reading :) ~ Cor Caroli V

* * *

 **Sick Day: Chapter 2**

Kat awoke to a very soft pillow under her head. It was cozy and warm like it radiated its own heat. She moved her hand up to adjust it a little more comfortably when she realized that this pillow was a little too squishy to be her pillow. Confused, Kat opened her tired, red eyes and soon found out why this pillow was so squishy.

A swift heat scorched her pretty face. Kat's head was lying on one of Raven's cushioned, partially-clothed breasts while her hand groped the adjacent one. Kat felt her naked body, pressed into Raven, respond enticingly to this predicament. Mortified, Kat peeked up. The voluptuous gravity shifter was in a deep, unresponsive sleep and small tired creases underlined her closed eyes.

Although Kat soundlessly thanked the Creators that Raven wasn't gravity bashing her into submission right now, she couldn't help but think how much bigger Raven's breasts were compared to hers.

 _And they're so soft…and perfectly shaped! I like them...Ack, what am I thinking?! I need to move before she notices…_

Kat rose, extremely weak. She needed to cross over Raven to get to her wardrobe, which hung off her coatrack, next to the entrance.

Her heart pounded in her chest as she placed a hand on both sides of Raven and moved, ever so slowly, across her. The sheet that Kat's nakedness was under started to slip off. It was snagged on Raven because the sleeping girl was lying on top of it. The pounding, beating and pressure of her heart became greater, her blood pulsed heavily throughout her body. Kat's laboured breathing blew Raven's bangs gently to the side of her gorgeously dozing face. With her upper torso exposed, Kat was in a very tempted, hot and bothered predicament.

She secretly wanted nothing more than to have Raven's lips on her own.

Suddenly, a series of metal noises sprang from the side table. Extremely petrified, Kat looked over to where an ethereal bird and cat pecked and clawed the inside of a pot, curiously examining it.

 _No, no, no…. Xii… Dusty!_ Kat tried desperately to reach her hand up to shoo them away… but failed. She accidentally lost her balance and toppled off the bed with a _thud._ Her bed sheet gracefully rested on top of Raven who let out a small snore.

Xii and Dusty, their curiosity satiated over the pot, jumped off the table and playfully jousted on the floor around the unfortunate Gravity Queen.

The steady drumming of Kat's heart remained. She creeped her face over the bed at Raven. The impossibly attractive girl was still sleeping like death had taken her. Needing to make sure, for certain, that Raven wasn't going to wake up, Kat poked the sleeping girl's soft cheek... Nothing happened.

 _Yup, dead. She must of stayed up all night taking care of me…,_ Kat thought, concerned. Turbulent waves of mixed emotions crashed inside of her. Kat knew that Raven would only do this for a small handful of people.

Actually, more like just two people: Zaza and... her.

Her heavy heart was tied in knots. She remembered Raven feeding her, spoon by spoon, an unfamiliar tenderness on her face, her mesmerizing blue eyes full of… something.

 _Raven saved me, fed me, kept me warm, and now_ … Kat stood up, shakily… n _ow I feel better… woah sort of..._

Kat braced herself on the side table with extreme weariness. She peered down at herself. She looked and felt like a mess; her usual vibrant olive complexion was pale, her body felt unsteady, and her hair and skin were matted with a dry, gross sweat. She didn't want Raven seeing her like this.

A bright idea flooded Kat's mind. Weakly, she made her way to the end of the drainage pipe, found her towel on the coatrack and wrapped it around herself. She turned to the entrance and tugged the soaked sheet open with as much physical strength she could muster.

Outside, an intense veil of white fog shrouded all of Auldnoir. Its whiteness hung heavy, vanishing everything in its sight. It was eerily quiet, there were no sounds from the city, air boats or people above. Only the light rain that struck the great pipes above her gave Kat the indication that a city existed within the heavy mist. Glancing next to her home, Kat's reduced visibility barely made out her laundry supplies that she used to wash her clothes.

Kat strained her gravity powers on a large, over-filled washtub. The tub glowed an iridescent red, unbalanced and spilling. It floated towards her. Kat kept the entrance cloth open as she shifted the tub onto the hot-plate. She beamed at her own cleverness as she turned it on. Kat found shampoo under the bed and poured a bit in, making bubbles as the tub water heated.

Kat's own self-proclaimed ingeniousness twinkled. She'd wash herself before Raven woke up and saw how unkept the Gravity Queen was.

Getting in, Kat breathed in deeply and relaxed. Time slowed, she swirled the bubbles and water gently around her as Dusty and Xii darted across the floor, walls, and ceiling, playing a game of cat and… well, bird with each other.

Kat's crimson eyes gazed outside, captivated by the odd weather. The white fog was unnatural; it hung, motionless, in the air and didn't dissipate. It gave a peculiar sensation that her little drainage pipe home was up in the clouds and it was only them in this world. Raven slept, Kat bathed, and Dusty and Kisu played; a princess, a queen, and their guardians. Maybe her drowsiness had taken over but Kat was overcome with a sweet serenity that if time and space were frozen in this moment forever she would be contented with that.

 _Well sort of..._

Kat looked back at Raven and her heart ached. Raven slept peacefully, her dark tresses obscured half her face, and the bed sheet rested gently on top of her. Kat remembered the first time she met Raven. Initially, their friendship hadn't started off on the right foot, to put it lightly, due to a big misunderstanding but gradually they had progressed to being friends to inseparable teammates, to the point where Kat couldn't imagine Raven not being in her life now.

And, strangely, if Kat focused and stared hard enough on Raven it seemed like a long lost forgotten memory was trying to resurface. Kat felt something familiar seeing Raven rest peacefully beside her.

 _Were we like this before I fell down the world pillar? Why can't I remember?_

Her mind searched for something she could not find. Only the memory of when she first felt differently towards Raven surfaced clearly. Kat conceptualized it in her mind, gently leaned back against the tub and reminisced.

How had she not realized sooner that Raven meant more to her than just a friend?

The water made gentle currents around Kat, and she remembered every detail, every sight and every sound of that memory...

o x o

The Lei Colmonsna market festival was alive and active with performers, food stalls, and music. Hundreds of colourful lanterns zig-zagged across the residential buildings and lit up the clear night sky. Everywhere in the plaza citizens took in the joys of the festival by laughing, dancing, eating, or drinking.

In the center of it, a group of dancers whirled in pairs to a rhythmic Lhao tribal drumbeat. Kat laughed and twirled around with Syd, her red dress and hoop earrings floated in the warm night breeze amidst the other dancers. Her movements flowed easily with the music and she could feel her joy radiate out of her with each step she took. Syd, in turn, with his white hair and half buttoned shirt, sparkling with a light sweat, was a little more clumsier, although his lopsided smile never left his face. Each raised a single hand, and they circled and spun in unison with the other participants.

A while later Syd stopped and let out a tired laugh, saying, "Kat, I need a drink if I'm going to keep up with you all night." His hands rested on his knees, catching his breath, his head nodded towards a table where Lisa, Gawan, Misai, and Cecie were sitting and chatting. An assortment of drinks, bottles, and plates scattered their table.

Kat laughed, "I guess I can't help myself! It's been a while since everyone's gotten together to enjoy ourselves like this. All we do is work all the time, well besides you Syd… with all your sick days!" They made their way through the crowd. Kat looked up to find Raven on one of the rooftop buildings, patrolling the crowd below, in her usual gravity shifting attire. Kat smiled, did that girl ever take a day off to have some fun?

Syd smoothly defended, "I hardly call your patrols work when all you do is try out new food stalls on each island." Kat stuck out her tongue at him and quickly dismissed his remark, although he did have a small point. The recent lack of Nevi sitings did make her and Raven's patrols a lot easier.

When Syd and Kat came closer to their table, Misai shot up, grabbed Cecie by the arm, and hurriedly exclaimed, "Cecie, didn't you say you wanted to try out that new Lhao skewer over there!" His face was red hot when he looked at Kat.

Cecie, confused, timidly replied, "I don't recall-"

"Oh come on I'll buy you one…," Misai didn't give any time for Cecie to finish as he dragged the poor girl away. Kat and Syd proceeded to sit in their vacant spots, looking amused and questionably at Lisa and Gawan for an explanation.

"We were talking about falling in love," the old man Gawan answered wisely, a lazy smile rested on his lips. He opened another wine bottle and filled Lisa's empty cup. Both he and Lisa's cheeks were rosy from drinking the festive Lhao wine all evening.

Lisa, hiccuped, "… I was only saying how love defects from getting actual work done. Your mind isn't focused on the task at hand, so it stalls production. Misai for instance-"

Gawan's low calming voice interjected, "Life isn't always about work Lisa. If I've learned anything in my old age it's that you need to enjoy the simple things in life before it's over."

Lisa huffed drunkenly, "Only citizens can enjoy the simple things, Gawan, because people like us need to sacrifice ourselves for the bigger picture."

"Oh dear sweet Lisa, there's no need to turn this delicious Lhao wine bitter," Syd chided. He poured himself a glass and drank deeply, continuing, "Love is by far the purest thing one can feel. It can defy the odds… Creators, probably even space and time itself, but over all else you must admit it's a beautiful thing to admire once someone's found something to love. Take this precious wine for example…"

Syd proceeded to ramble on but Kat's attention diverted itself to look up at Raven again. Raven sat on the building's ledge, her head in her hand, most likely bored. Xii was perched vigilantly beside her. Kat saw Raven's eyes watch for some time the dancers below, their movements synchronized with the melodic drumming, as they laughed and had fun. A bright idea hit the Gravity Queen square in the face.

"Kat, have you ever fallen in love?"

Kat's mind was startled out of its reverie at the mention of her name. Everyone at the table stared and waited for her to answer.

Kat thought about it quickly.

Perhaps a long time ago, buried in the memories that she had lost maybe she had loved someone but since being in Hekseville she didn't know if she did. She was always too busy helping everyone out to think about it. She did feel something for Newt once but that quickly extinguished when she found out that Newt liked Echo.

Flustered, and pushing her train of thought aside, Kat laughed sheepishly, "Oh come on guys, do we really need to be talking about this... Tonight's the time to be having fun, dancing and eating! And I want to dance and since Syd's drinking, I'll just have to go find someone else!" Kat didn't wait for a response from the group at the table as she activated her gravity powers and let gravity drop her fast toward the building's rooftop where Raven sat. She had a perfect dance partner in mind.

Closing in, Kat noticed Raven's long dark hair shimmered in the lantern light and framed her petite face. Her light blue eyes narrowed as they shifted from the dancers to Kat who came barreling towards her.

Kat knew Raven would say no if she asked, so without questioning, Kat stopped and hovered right in front of Raven, grabbed onto the her hands and laughed, saying, "I'm not giving you time to say no, you're dancing with me!" She hastily extended her gravity and encompassed Raven before the dark haired shifter had time to refuse. Kat dropped them down towards the dancers, laughing.

"Kat, I don't do dancing…," Raven managed to struggle out but Kat persisted and led them into the fro of the dancing pairs. A small crowd formed around them; jovial spectators took in the sight of the two famous gravity shifters together.

"I know, that's why I'm making you do it, silly! You need to have some fun Raven. Life isn't always about working, you know," Kat giggled as she entwined her fingers with Raven's and took the lead. The dance was easy enough, and the drum conducted a steady beat where, traditionally, Lhao tribe members danced around a fire and honoured their gods for continued peace and prosperity. Or, at least that's what Lisa explained to her.

With the consistent drums and coaxing from Kat, it didn't take long for Raven to ease into the rhythm but she still glared mischievously at her partner, feigning forced participation. In return, Kat was surprised by how Raven moved so gracefully through each step, matching hers, and couldn't stop smiling. Raven danced a lot better than Syd did.

When the music called for the dancers to turn, Kat spun and glanced towards the table where Syd sat and smiled, with his wine in hand, at her and Raven. For some reason he had a nostalgic glint in his eyes. He winked at her and Kat could feel a dark crimson warm her face.

Time slowed, the moment felt oddly familiar to Kat like an old, forgotten memory. Raven's hand was so soft entwined with hers, her hair flowed gently around her as she moved, and her piercing blue eyes were momentarily looking at her feet with a small smile. The feeling they had done this before was so great that it caused Kat's attention to minimize on just the two of them.

 _Kat, have you ever fallen in love?_

Looking at Raven, the question and answer came so suddenly, it jolted into Kat's heart like a thunderbolt… It confused, scared, but ultimately filled Kat with so much joy and desire that her heart took an unexpected leap in her chest. The memory where those feelings came from blurred and disappeared but the emotions attached to it stayed and lingered.

Suddenly, everything came to a complete stand-still. The world's clock froze. Space and time became disrupted for a split second. A small, haunted voice cut through her mind, saying, " _The dream must be protected, y_ _ou are not ready to wake just yet, shifter…,"_ before everything returned back to its normal pace and flow.

Kat didn't know if what she experienced was real as she danced, as people enjoyed the festival, as the sky glittered with a thousand stars into the night... but the one thing she knew for certain, now, was that when she looked at Raven her heart beat with an enraptured and nervous ferocity. These feelings felt both unknown and familiar to Kat like a missing piece of her had found itself home.

What had happened to her?

o x o

"Kat…?" Raven's voice cut through the Gravity Queen's reverie and echoed into the white abyss outside the drainage pipe.

Kat's serenity vanished with the trailing syllable of her name. Mortified, the Gravity Queen shot up from the tub, grabbed the nearest thing she could cover herself with and then stared, paralyzed, into Raven's clear-blue eyes.

Raven sat up slowly and tried to assimilate the sight before her.

Kat had grabbed Dusty, her arms trapped the cat in such a way that Dusty's length shielded her private regions as bubbles of foam trailed down her slim body. Kat was 85% sure that her face had burst into flames. Her body was alit with a fierce glow. Her heart raged like an inferno.

"Raven...you're awake!" Kat stifled out. The Gravity Queen wasn't sure if she was feeling faint from being sick or if the blood in her body had spontaneously exploded.

Raven was quiet; she struggled to respond. A red hotness emanated across her face and chest, which mimicked Kat's current temperature. A veil of intense silence came between them. Kat searched frantically for something coherently to say.

"You..you know, you could of woken up a bit sooner… It was hard getting this tub from outside! My powers don't really work when I'm like this…," Kat clumsily teased and blurted. Raven's eyes sparked slightly.

"I only closed my eyes for a second and, besides... you look much better," Raven impulsively retorted and then recoiled at her own words as Kat stood there naked and wet in front of her.

Dusty hung between them, helpless. Neither of their dark crimson shades left their appearance.

"Well… did you want to help me with the rest? I know you're tired, I mean-," Kat nodded to the shampoo bottle, "…just with my hair?" Kat quickly dropped down into the bubbles, her back to Raven, embarrassed. Dusty saw the chance and jumped away, fleeing out of the pipe with Xii following.

 _Oh my Creator, what am I saying?_ Kat's external boldness did not match at all what her internally blazing and pounding heart was feeling.

After a moment, Kat could hear Raven slide hesitantly off the bed. Her light steps made their way closer and they stopped right behind Kat. Raven kneeled. The sound of the shampoo bottle _clinked._ Again, an intense silence hung in the air like the blanketed mist outside.

A second later a shock of electricity went through Kat as she felt Raven's hands run through her wet hair with shampoo. Raven's hands felt amazing.

 _Are her hands shaking?_ Kat couldn't tell. Her body felt sensually hot and light-headed as Raven kneaded the shampoo in small continuous circles around her head.

"You.. you, know, I'm only doing this because you're sick…" Raven's voice sounded oddly nervous.

"Of… of course!… Thanks…" Kat's awkward voice trailed off. Her emotions tumbled and turned as Raven worked. Kat wasn't sure exactly what to say next, but she knew she had to keep the conversation going to avoid getting more aroused.

"You… you know that stew you made last night was really good! I didn't know you could cook so well," Kat flustered.

"I can't take credit for that," Raven's voice was quiet, "the shopkeeper gave me all the ingredients for the recipe."

"Oh well, I'm surprised you found a place that was open. When I passed Lei Colmosna all the shops were closing," Kat replied. She gulped.

Raven was really _really_ good with her hands.

"Syd told me about it awhile ago. I saw him actually when I was getting the food… Um, could you fill up the kettle so I can rinse your hair?" Raven asked somewhat shyly.

"Of… of course!" Kat obeyed. The kettle beside the tub turned an iridescent red and wavered timidly towards her. Kat dipped the kettle into the tub and shifted it to Raven, not looking back. Another wave of tiredness overcame the Gravity Queen.

"What was Syd doing there?" Kat yammered distractedly.

Raven huffed, holding the kettle, "He was getting wine… to make discussions on council mergers more interesting, he said."

"What a guy, always trying to cut corners from doing actual work..." Kat remarked sarcastically.

Raven nodded in agreement and then continued, "Okay, lean your head back…" Kat complied, inhaled a deep breath and leaned back. Raven poured the contents of the kettle out and rinsed Kat's hair. It created rivulets of water down her blonde tresses, olive back and chest. Kat's body glistened in the falling droplets and she could hear Raven take an unusual slow breath in, then gently dry Kat's hair and back with the towel.

The refreshing water cleared her thoughts, if only slightly.

Kat sighed, "I'm sorry for making you take care of me Raven, this is pretty much all my fault."

"Kat… it's fine. I actually don't mind doing this," Raven replied softly as she rested the towel over Kat's shoulders.

"No really, the real reason I crossed that storm," Kat turned around unwavering. Her and Raven locked eyes, "... actually wasn't to get home, necessarily... I was trying to get to that donut shop... you know the one next to the train platform under the huge Vendecentre government building? Ya, I couldn't stop thinking about how hungry I was… and how the shopkeeper had started to infuse his donut batter with tiny sausage pieces. And sometimes, please don't tell anyone this, but sometimes I ride on top of the train to the next station eating the donuts because, honestly, I can't shift gravity and eat at the same time!" Kat finished, closed her eyes and prepared herself for Raven's scolding.

The white, boundless fog in the background hovered expectantly in the air. A few precious moments passed.

The scolding never came but, rather, Raven's reaction left Kat completely awestruck. Raven's laugh started as a soft angelic whisper across Kat's heart and then broke through the air like a melodic song. It echoed through the expansive mist and left Kat breathless. It made Raven look absolutely stunning; her face emanated pure happiness. Kat had never heard Raven laugh like that before and, to her, it was the most beautiful sound that she had ever listened to. Kat couldn't stop smiling.

The noise was so unusual coming from Raven that it made Dusty and Xii peek inside the drainage pipe, curious at the noise.

 _Creators, what I would do to make her laugh like that all the time…_

Suddenly, a recollection, a lost, blurred memory of a familiar laugh, two girls that shared the same feelings, their hearts and hands entwined, struck Kat. These feelings matched exactly what she had felt at the market festival that night. Again, the memory was erased and ceased to exist, but Kat's heart pounded hard in her chest.

Raven wiped away elated tears,"What am I going to do with you? I don't know whether to chastise you or admire your crazed determination." The rain danced nimbly and the fog watched the two girls from beyond the drainage pipe.

Kat released a determined exhale, "Actually there's one thing you can do…," she leaned over the ledge of the tub in front of Raven, "can you tell me if this feels... _familiar_?" Kat interlaced her fingers with Raven's and pulled her closer. The small amount of air in-between them tensed.

Raven's smile faded, her eyes widened, a small heat warmed her face, "Kat, are you feeling okay, right now?" She asked, confused, but didn't pull back.

Frustrated, weak and vulnerable, Kat replied, "I don't know Raven, I've been having these weird… blurred visions, like memories I've forgotten about, maybe their from my past before I came to Hekseville. I don't know! They don't last very long and they disappear before I can understand them. All I know is that they involve us somehow. When you were laughing, I felt it."

Raven bit her lip nervously and narrowed her icy blue eyes, "But, are you _sure_ it isn't from being sick?… because, Kat, you were really out of it last night," Raven summed up logically.

"No," Kat flustered hastily, "because I had a memory when we were dancing at the festival and I think I heard Cyanea's voice saying I wasn't ready for something."

The two girls stared at each other, not quite sure how they ended up in this situation, their hands still connected. The fog lingered in the air silently and water droplets fell from the ends of Kat's hair onto the floor.

Slowly, Raven pieced things together, "Is this why you've been ignoring me lately?"

Kat nodded guiltily, "I'm sorry Raven, I didn't mean to hurt you. I didn't know what to do," Kat regained some of her confidence, "because I was afraid and confused. I really wanted to tell you eventually… and ask you if you felt something similar. I mean, do you have feelings that you can't really explain but it feels like... we've been like this before? I know it sounds weird." Kat looked down at their entwined hands, not sure if what she said made any real sense.

"Kat…," Raven's voice quieted. She glanced out the drainage pipe and then back at Kat. She focused on Kat's lips as if she remembered something. Quickly, a very expansive shade of crimson covered her face and chest.

"Raven, what's wrong?" You have to tell me! I don't know what's going," Kat's heart raced with every word. The atmosphere became charged with a certain electricity between them. Raven seemed to be transfixed on Kat, but unwilling to say what she was thinking.

A strange, forgotten force radiated between them. Slowly, as if in a trance, the space between them lessened, their faces drew closer together. Kat became compulsively enslaved in Raven's eyes and lips. Something inside of Kat was trying to reach something inside of Raven.

Kat's whole body felt like it was shaking but she continued on purposely, "... Raven, I feel _connected_ to you, like maybe in the past we were together like this before somehow," Raven's breath felt so familiar against her own, "… I wish I could remember because, when I see or touch or think of you, I can't help but feel like I'm in lo-"

Suddenly, a sharp, persistent noise beeped from within the drainage pipe. It pierced through the still air and resounded loudly into the thick white fog. It was Kat's walkie-talkie and it beeped relentlessly until a familiar voice reported out, uninvited.

"Good morning, Hekseville!" Syd's voice yammered, hung-over without introduction, "…or should I just say Kat and Raven? Anyway, can someone please answer…it's a matter of life and death over here...over?"

Instantly, Kat and Raven jerked their hands free of each other and turned their burning faces away in different directions, terribly embarrassed. The electrified atmosphere between them was cut short from Syd's interruption.

 _Was Raven leaning in closer because she wanted to kiss me?_ Kat's heart raced thinking of how close they just were; their breaths were lightly touching each other's skin. Raven's infinite blue eyes were so memorizing and beautiful close up. Flustered, Kat fumbled with her towel but managed to wrap it around herself. Raven rose and distanced herself quickly from Kat, standing next to the open entrance, her face and expression hidden. Kat clumsily got out of the tub, made her way to the desk and picked up the walkie-talkie.

"-Yes?" Kat replied awkwardly in a feeble tone.

"Kat, you sound awful! Raven told me you were sick but I didn't think it was that bad! We need a slight favour. Is Raven still there? We need her to come to Banga as fast as gravity can take her. Misai's tuning the broadcasting speakers right now. They'll act as homing beacons to make it easier for her to get through the fog over to us…over."

"...Now's really not the best time. Raven and I-," Kat's attempt was cut off by Lisa taking over the reigns of Syd's walkie-talkie.

"Kat, listen carefully this is an urgent matter. The Hekseville council committee has decided to call an emergency meeting at the Vendecentre government building. They want to decide on specific mergers and leadership roles and they said if Jirga Para Lhao members are not in attendance then they'll decide it for us. _Tsk_ …," Lisa's voice dropped and sounded defensive, "I knew they'd try to pull something like this, those bastards! Normally we wouldn't ask but with this strange weather system and under these circumstances we need a gravity shifter to escort us through the fog… we can't take our chances." Lisa finished her speech resolutely, "You're unwell so rest and tell Raven to be here immediately… over."

The walkie-talkie made a finalized, disconnected beep.

Kat huffed inwardly, extremely frustrated. Her and Raven were kind of in the middle of something and Kat wanted to know exactly what was going on between them right now. She was so close to telling Raven everything and she still needed to know what Raven thought and felt. A whirlwind of questions and feelings stirred and swept through Kat as she failed to make sense of it all.

Kat's thoughts were interrupted by Raven's soft penetrating voice, "Kat, I'm going to go... but I promise that I'll tell you about what happened last night when I get back…okay?"

Without waiting for a reply, Raven hastily activated her gravity powers. Her sapphire silhouette levitated like an ethereal goddess against the fog outside the drainage pipe. Confused, Kat's determined heart stung. She couldn't let Raven run away like this.

Rapidly, Kat turned and triggered her own crimson gravity powers to stop her. She strained to reach Raven's retreating form in time from across the drainage pipe.

"Raven, wait! I wasn't done explaining that-," Kat's red nebulae flickered for a second, until it burnt out entirely. Kat stumbled to her knees, weak and exhausted. The defeated Gravity Queen looked up and stared out into the empty void of fog.

Raven had vanished, her streak of blue aura quickly died away.

Kat let out a frustrated, exasperated sigh and finished...

"...that I love you..."

 _Continued in Chapter 3..._

* * *

Thanks for reading :)

The next chapter will be really long so I might break it up into two parts. ~ Cor Caroli V


	3. Chapter 3, Part I

Author's Note:

Thank you again everyone for your feedback and patience. I know this is probably not the part you guys are looking forward to the most but I really wanted to tie together actual Gravity Rush 2 story points into my story about Kat and Raven. As you will soon read, there were certain things I really wanted to explore as the original series leaves a lot of things up for interpretation. Enjoy ~ Cor Caroli V

* * *

 **Chapter 3, Part I**

Raven's gravity made her fall through the haze absentmindedly as her thoughts and heart raced to make sense of what she was feeling. The boundless fog rushed past her, caressed her in its icy embrace and shrouded everything in sight. The world around her didn't seem to exist. It trapped her and left her alone to confront herself.

She felt awful leaving Kat like that but the Gravity Queen's confusing words, touch, and consuming red eyes overwhelmed Raven. The things Kat said dazed and scared her because they just didn't make any logical sense.

 _How can Kat think we were together before?_

Raven's mind reeled. She remembered her past, growing up as the little girl Sachya with Zaza as her adopted brother. She remembered falling down to Boutoume, listening to Zaza give her and the others hope to wait for someone to rescue them. Someone did rescue them, but it ended up being Kat and a grown up version of Sachya - Raven. A version that Zaza didn't recognize was his sister… a tinge of guilt still struck Raven when her memories focused on Zaza, the children, and the Ark.

Her memories… that didn't involve Kat.

 _So how could Kat think we were together before when I remember growing up my whole life without her?_

Her gravity power drained as Raven tried, unsuccessfully, to piece things together.

She understood that Kat fell down to Hekseville, falling from higher up on the world pillar. Raven had asked Kat once what she could remember and Kat sheepishly replied that she didn't remember anything from her past. Her earliest memory, Kat said, was when she woke up in Auldnoir, in a lower level park next to a tree, an apple, and Dusty by her side.

Raven, however, didn't have any similar memories of falling from the world pillar, so being with Kat before she woke up in Hekseville just wasn't possible… or was it?

 _There must be something missing because… because why do I feel like this then?!_

Raven's heart quivered when she recollected Kat's crimson eyes so full of truth and her delicately moistened lips that were so intoxicatingly close. Those same lips that she had kissed the night before because Raven had felt such a familiar desire and pull inside of her that she couldn't explain. Raven felt a part of her had reconnected itself in that moment she kissed Kat. The kind of connection that Kat apparently felt too when her blurred memories resurfaced. It was confusing and illogical, nothing made any sense, but an unknown part of Raven believed everything that Kat had said. Her heart pulsed with such a familiar ferocity and yearning for the other girl.

Raven's vexed, inner turmoil overwhelmed her to the point she wasn't paying attention to the overhanging sign that emerged from out of the fog. She narrowly dodged and missed it, twisting her body awkwardly against her gravity. She tried to reorient herself but Raven clipped her side on an oncoming lamp post with a sharp stinging pain and cry, expending the rest of her gravity power. Without her power, her body impacted and skidded across the cold, wet cobblestones. Her arms shielded her face as she crashed into an outer railing that stopped her from going over the city's edge.

The shrouded mist shifted around her as the rain tenderly fell and dampened her long dark and red hair. In the distance, a low sound like a horn echoed from beyond the railing through the vast whiteness.

Painfully and tasting copper in her mouth., Raven lifted herself up using the railing It was easy enough for her to pinpoint the direction of Misai's beckoning acoustic as she gazed steadily out into the masked fog. Xii reappeared beside her, perched itself on the ledge and angled its head curiously at her.

Raven's bruised body throbbed but the pain, at least, brought her mind, sorely, back to reality. Her heart, however, was still lost.

Kat was right. Raven did feel an enraptured familiarity when the Gravity Queen pulled her closer. There was something long forgotten that had resurfaced in Kat's eyes, and bewitched itself deep inside Raven's soul. It ultimately terrified and exhilarated her. Her heart felt bound to the Kat's by an undeniable deep affection.

… but how?

The low foghorn persisted urgently through the white abyss.

Raven bit her lip and steeled her mind on the sound, ignoring the subsiding physical pain she felt. She needed to help Lisa and the others get to Vendecentre.

She needed to stop thinking about Kat.

The dark haired shifter dusted off her wet clothes and reached up to wipe away a few drops of rain from her face.

... but these raindrops were warm though...

Raven had wiped away tears that had trailed, unknowingly, down her pale cheeks.

 _I should of kissed her again…_ Something deep inside Raven stirred in agreement as she activated her gravity powers and fell towards the sound.

It was going to be a long, confusing day.

o x o

Cecie closed the gate behind her before another duck could escape from the pen. Even in this weather, Lisa told Cecie to make sure the ducks were fed and accounted for before they left for Vendecentre. She smiled, a small timid smile, walking hesitantly across the Banga suspension bridges back to Lisa's hut where Misai's low broadcasted call originated.

 _Even after all thats happened, Lisa…Kat… and everyone still treat me as if I'm just normal Cecie..._

Cecie rubbed her arms in the chilly mist. Feeling a crystal shard still stuck to her forearm, she anxiously flicked it off. She had transformed into Durga Angel when a few ducks had waddled over the edge when she accidentally left the gate open getting feed for them. Although Lisa would reprimand her for using it, Cecie knew she could control Durga's power now, unlike before... Her power was dangerous but Cecie reaffirmed herself, apprehensively, it would only be used to help Kat and the others.

Cecie reached the other side of the bridge, onto Lisa's top deck where a large, metal air shuttle hovered next to it. The air shuttle, which used to be owned by the late Mayor Braham's, was provided to them by the newly formed Hekseville council. Of course, Lisa made Misai inspect it for bombs or any kind of malfunctioning parts, just in case. The Banga leader really disliked and mistrusted heads of state, especially after what had transpired previously in Jirga Para Lhao.

Cecie almost made it to Lisa's door when a streak of sapphire landed beside her. Raven's aura faded, with Xii on her shoulder, and the two girls stared at each other. The timid girl internally fidgeted under Raven's sudden piercing, but sad, blue eyes.

"Hi Cecie, is everyone inside?" Raven asked, reserved.

Cecie was taken aback by Raven's appearance; she looked really _really_ tired; small, dark circles underlined her intense eyes, her long dark hair and clothes were wet and dishevelled, and a small spot of dried blood dotted the lower side of her lip.

 _Kat must be pretty sick for Raven to look like that._

"Er, yes… they're inside," the Banga girl's timorous voice responded. Before Raven turned towards the door, Cecie summoned as much courage as she could muster and whispered, "Um, Raven?"

"Yes?"

"Ah...you have something… right here," as Cecie pointed nervously at her own lip, indicating where she saw the dry blood on Raven.

Raven wiped the spot off her face, quietly thanked Cecie, and went inside.

Cecie fidgeted awkwardly, unsure now if she should follow after Raven. Although it was subtle, Raven didn't seem like her usual self. Cecie pondered in the cold fog for a few minutes, unsure. She really hoped Kat was feeling better, or if she wasn't, Cecie felt awful having Raven leave the sick Gravity Queen so she could escort them to Vendecentre.

Before Cecie could decide what to do, the broadcasted call stopped and the door burst open. Lisa marched out, followed by Raven, Gawan, Misai and a sobering, slow-moving Syd.

Lisa informed Raven of their plan as they headed through the blanketed grey clouds to the metal air shuttle. Cecie hurried after them.

"-Misai will drive the airboat. He knows the direction and how far it is to the outermost Vendecentre train station. We can take the train from there, straight to the government building. You just need to make sure we hit nothing and nothing hits _us_ on the way," Lisa instructed to Raven, and finished bitterly, "even if it's Hekseville rebels that are against the mergers..."

Cecie watched as Raven nodded, absentmindedly, and shifted on top of the airboat. Her mind seemed elsewhere but no one else, except Cecie, realized this.

Raven silently worried Cecie. Although Raven wasn't as approachable and warm as the always positive and optimistic Gravity Queen, she knew Raven was, overall, a good person. Raven had saved her from Neu Hiraloeon and had been with her when the black orb had absorbed them and rifted them to Hekseville. Only, it seemed like an invisible barrier existed between Raven and the people who tried to get close to her.

"Let's go Cecie…," Gawan gestured kindly towards the air shuttle as everyone else piled inside.

Cecie took one last contemplated glance at Raven before going in.

A hushed seriousness overcame the mismatched Banga group inside the odd, luxuriant air shuttle. Lisa and Gawan read over ledgers, while Syd sprawled himself out across the cushioned seats, one arm shielding his eyes to the world. Cecie sat silently behind Lisa and watched Misai wave up to Raven, indicating he was ready to lift off. Slowly, and smoothly the air shuttle travelled through the blanketed fog as it passed by the windows.

No rebels attacked. No other air boats were seen or heard and, thus, it didn't take long until the air shuttle docked, safely, close to the outermost Vendecentre train station. Raven opened the door and the group left the air shuttle and journeyed down to the sheltered train station. No one was there, except for them. The empty benches under the large telecast relayed the continued message to stay indoors until the weather cleared.

All the while Cecie couldn't stop stealing timid glances at the withdrawn dark haired gravity shifter, wanting to so desperately ask her what was wrong but too shy to do so.

They waited for the train.

Slowly, the wet, steel body and bright headlights of the train cut through the mist into the station, screeching to a halt. Cecie silently awed at its foreign mechanical construction as trains just didn't exist in Jirga Para Lhao. She boarded with everyone and sat down amidst endless rows of empty seats, away from the rest of the group.

Cecie wondered, distracted, about the possibility if trains could one day connect the different layers and floating islands of Jirga Para Lhao. It would make it easier especially for those in the lower Lei Elgona region to experience otherwise inaccessible islands and Hekseville.

Raven entered and stood next to Cecie. The train came back to life and laboriously trudged along its steel monorail, taking them closer to the base of the government building. Cecie fidgeted, she wished she had her doll here to help her confidence. Raven's eyes seemed vacant, completely lost in her own world as she stared at the passing whiteness through the windows.

 _What if somethings really wrong with Kat, her friend… and that's why Raven's like this?_

Cecie's anxiety increased and her heart quickened at the notion. Apprehensively, Cecie looked up at Raven as the train continued its steady pace. She really needed to find out how Kat was doing.

Assembling as much confidence as she could find, Cecie shyly asked the apathetic shifter, "Ah...I'm.. I'm sorry to bother you Raven but… Kat, is she feeling better? I got worried when Syd told us the news last night…," Her voice trailed off into an incomprehensible whisper. She really wished she had her doll with her right now. She noticed Misai glance rapidly over at the pair, eavesdropping, before returning to his low murmured discussion with Lisa and Gawan.

It seemed to take Raven a moment to drop back down to reality, taking in her surroundings. Her steel blue eyes focused on Cecie.

"… Kat's... doing much better this morning than she was last night," Raven said, an unusual hint of bashfulness in her voice, "She's recovering quite quickly." A very small redness dotted her pale cheeks. There was no sarcastic reprimand or scolding of the Gravity Queen. Something heavy hung over the gravity shifter's usual stern, icy attitude.

"That's good, she's always so strong, I'd hate to see her sick..." Cecie mumbled. She couldn't think of anything more to say to Raven without having a nervous breakdown.

If Kat was okay, Cecie was internally relieved but a slight confusion emerged about Raven's behaviour then. Cecie couldn't inquire further though as her anxiety was maxed and large stone walls became visible out from the fog.

The train rumbled to a stop at the lowest level of the tall government building. The doors opened automatically with a sharp hiss of mechanical air.

Before Cecie could escape the caged train compartment, Raven turned to the fragile Banga girl, "I'll tell Kat you asked about her, Cecie... if she knows you're thinking about her, I'm sure she'll try to get better faster."

Raven, then, did something totally unexpected. She gave Cecie a rare, reassuring half-smile.

Cecie returned the smile, a small timid smile, elated by Raven's words and actions. Raven really was a nice person underneath her mysterious and indifferent persona.

Then it dawned on Cecie…

 _Kat must be a really a good friend to Raven if she's so distracted from being away from her._

Kat, with her persistent optimism, did have a certain way of nudging herself into everyone's hearts. Even if those people had the toughest of walls, somehow Kat always managed to tear them down.

"Thanks, Raven."

o x o

The group exited the train onto the expansive platform where the massive walls and arches of the lower government building encased them. This time, a few station patrollers observed Raven, with her ethereal bird perched on her shoulder, and the Banga gang as they crossed the train station to a long, winding set of stairs.

Before reaching the stairs, Raven's nose twitched. A delicious smell of cooked sausages and sizzling donut batter enticed the air. Raven took a long, lingering glance at the shop that was nestled in the nook between the station and the staircase. The food stall's lights glowed with a warm, inviting lambency as small puffs of smoke rose past its counter.

 _Was this the shop Kat was trying to get to in the storm?_ Raven couldn't really blame the Gravity Queen's crazed obsession now that she had smelt its deliciousness. Her mouth watered, but she couldn't just leave the group. Devastated, Raven grumbled behind everyone in icy silence and continued on, reluctantly, as they ascended up the tower stairs despite her heart and her stomach protesting.

She realized she was _very very_ hungry.

Lisa explained that the council meeting would be held in the building adjacent to one of the tall towers. Connected by an exterior pedway, they crossed the hazy sky bridge and entered into a large columned, entrance hall. The entrance hall consisted of numerous benches and a grand set of stairs that led up to wooden doors with intricate Hekseville details on them. Beyond those doors, the debating amphitheatre awaited.

However, in between the Banga group and the debating chamber, a massive crowd of people loudly disputed against one another. Raven saw unfamiliar, robed Hekseville and Jirga Para Laho council members, policemen, and military soldiers, but she also familiar faces: Yunica, Permet, Commander Yuri, Chaz and Bulboussa amidst the gathering. Xii retreated and perched itself up in the rafters.

Some stared at the Banga group as they entered; some glanced welcoming while others were less than hospitable. Despite the stares, out of the array of people, Raven heard Vogo in the centre of the group, his loud obnoxious voice demanded attention. Fi stood silently behind him in the mass of people, stoic, with his arms folded. Kat had filled her in awhile ago about Vogo and his brother Fi, how one acted like a deceitful businessman while the other the complete opposite. Raven could guess which one was which.

A council member attempted to coax the head of Sun Shipping to leave for the third time, "-I'm sorry Vogo Sun, but these meetings are for council members only. We do not allow uninvited citizens to take part in these discussions-"

Vogo upheaved, "I have as much right to be here as any of you pigs - I pay my taxes! I should have a say in how my government plans to merge itself! It's because of traders like us that your snobbish heads are held up so high in the clouds!" He continued to rant about the injustices of it all.

Raven stared coldly at the scene before her, arms crossed. To her, after being tricked by D'nelica and conditioned as Night Gale by soldiers on Fort Bismalia, she despised being involved in any governmental affairs. In all those circumstances, Raven was always pitted against Kat, who had to save her in the end.

 _You know she's stronger without you..._

Lisa's pertinent voice reasoned like a strong leader above the mass of people, "Everyone, it would be wise to include them - merchants - in this meeting. It would only serve to benefit and help integrate Jirga Para Lhao and Hekseville's trading and economical sectors. However, for now, it would be best for the merchants to just _listen_ on these discussions," Lisa finalized as her silver eyes narrowed at Vogo.

Fi put a hand on his brother's shoulder. His calm voice silenced Vogo into a huffed compliance, "We'll listen, that's all."

"Fine," the Hekseville council members resolved exasperatedly, "there is much to discuss anyway so it is best if we start immediately. All escorts remain outside, this is, after all, a peaceful meeting," a hint of scoffed sarcasm underlined his last comment. Hekseville councillors whipped their robes perturbed and ascended up the stairs.

The disorganization that existed a moment ago gave way to an ordered assembly as people retreated into the amphitheatre. Raven saw Permet glance back quickly at Yunica before going in with Commander Yuri. Fi talked levelheadedly to Vogo before his older brother went inside. Certain military guards and policeman stayed behind, either leaving or forming their own hushed clique.

Syd, slowly coming out of his hangover comatose, said quietly to Raven as he passed by her, "Hopefully this doesn't take too long so you can get back to Kat." Raven reddened momentarily, her heart churned, but Syd and the others didn't notice as they were rushed into the room. The doors closed after him.

Raven was left alone with Yunica, Fi and a few armed sentries in the once crowded room. The three of them eyed each other impassively for a moment before Fi bowed and sat meditatively on one of the benches. The room became deathly silent, with the odd pairing of people in the room.

Yunica, her arms crossed over her ironed military uniform, broke the silence with an authoritative question directed at Raven, "Where's SeaCat? I assumed she would of helped escort the Banga members."

Raven eyed her coldly. The history between Yunica and the two gravity shifters was convoluted. Although it wasn't long ago that Yunica and Permet had helped the two gravity shifters destroy the monster Kali, their ideologies almost always didn't coincide. Yunica and Permet followed orders from Commander Yuri while Raven and Kat acted on what was the right thing to do, in the moment.

"She's not feeling well, she got caught in the storm last night," Raven replied icily, talking about Kat made her mind and body think and feel things she didn't want to right now.

Yunica glared snobbishly, "If she trained with the Jellyfish Anti-Nevi Special Forces Unit, she would of been better prepared for this kind of weather."

"We don't follow orders blindly and grease up our mechanical parts like you do, Yunica," Raven retorted, irritated. She was too tired, hungry, and conflicted about Kat to keep this conversation up.

"We do what's necessary to protect the people of Hekseville, Shifter. You, above all else, should know this," Yunica escalated. The aggressive air between the two powerful girls sparked.

Fi's calming voice broke the tension, "And soon it'll be Jirga Para Lhao _and_ Hekseville that need our combined protection against the Nevi. The best we can do is work together, despite our differences. Isn't that why we're here?" Fi closed his eyes again.

Their banter came to a harsh stalemate. Yunica and Raven sat down and proceeded to ignore each other, although Raven was silently grateful that Fi had ended their conversation.

Her body and mind were utterly exhausted.

She wanted nothing more than to be in Kat's bed again… with Kat curled up beside her. Raven closed her eyes and let her mind imagine feeling Kat's soft skin entwined with hers, looking into her crimson eyes, and hearing her carefree voice reassure her that everything was going to be okay.

Her heart gave an unexpected leap as her dreams and reality melded together. Kat's lips were so close again...

o x o

Raven woke to the sound of the door cracking open. The noise echoed within the expansive, barren entrance hall.

How long had she been sleeping for?

She opened one light blue eye, and saw Permet sneak her face out and motion to Yunica to come over. Yunica got up and approached her, their faces came close together as their mouths moved in whisper. Raven was going to go back to sleep when she saw it. The two girls had finished talking and before Permet was about to go in, she gave Yunica a quick peck on the lips to which Yunica returned.

Raven's face reddened instantly, shell-shocked.

 _Did I just see that clearly?_

The door closed once again and Yunica retook her seat across from Raven, unhindered, until she noticed that the ice princess hadn't taken her saucer-like eyes off her.

"Are you going to be watching every move I make? SeaSlug just said the meeting should be finishing shortly," Yunica said annoyed as she glared at Raven.

Raven continued to stare but then after a few moments asked constrained, "Are you and Permet…together?"

"If you mean if SeaSlug and I have engaged in a romantic and sexual relationship, then yes. Why do you ask or care?" Yunica's militaristic tone sounded perturbed under her strict demeanour.

Raven remained speechless, so Yunica goaded the dumbstruck gravity shifter further, "… you know, it's the usual progression one achieves when two people realize they share a mutual and affectionate bond with each other." She smirked at the dark haired shifters foolish expression.

Raven's face and chest burned. How could Yunica so nonchalantly explain her relationship with another girl as if she was talking about the weather?

"I just didn't know, you don't seem much like the… loving type," Raven countered bluntly.

"Neither do you, Shifter, but all people love. It is a natural human emotion, and although most of my body is made of metal, I still have a heart," Yunica retaliated as she glanced down at her titanium steel lance then up again, glaring at Raven, "...maybe you should try opening yours."

Raven's mind reeled. Yunica, the serious, authoritarian soldier was giving her relationship advise. Was the world pillar freezing over?

Their conversation fell silent. Raven's heart pounded profusely in her chest. Her thoughts exploded with scenarios of her and Kat: holding hands, going on dates, feeding each other Lhao skewers and donuts, kissing, touching… and… uh, well.. that.

Raven shot up, utterly embarrassed at what she envisioned her and Kat doing on her bed.

Yunica gave her a sharp, quizzical frown as she watched Raven dash towards exit.

"Hey, where are you going?! You shouldn't leave your post!" Yunica thundered, then spat bitterly, "Shifters…"

Raven ignored Yunica, as she raced across the bridge and descended down the tower stairs. She didn't notice that the once obscured fog had started to slowly dissipate into a light dampening mist. The endless buildings that surrounded the twin tower became evident through the diminishing haze. The heavens peeked shyly through the overhead tempest clouds, deciding whether or not to come out. The soft rain offered one last final quench upon Hekseville and Jirga Para Lhao.

o x o

Kat hung her head off the side of her bed, feeling _normal_ gravity pull her hair towards the ground. The accustomed sensation usually helped her think better. She took another bite from the apple in her hand and stared upside-down at the entrance.

Waiting for Raven was torture.

Kat sneezed.

In between bouts of tiredness and a stuffy nose, she had donned her work clothes and had cleaned, washed, swept and organized everything in her drainage pipe to the point where it was the cleanest she'd ever seen her home. Dusty, who had watched her through the whole process, now rubbed itself against her face, wanting to be petted.

With her mouth full of apple, Kat asked her guardian for the hundredth time, "Ugh, what did Raven mean when she said she'd tell me about last night?"

 _What else could have possibly happened?_

Kat furrowed her brows in concentration and wracked her brain again, trying to remember. She was sick, Raven took care of her, and then she fell asleep - that's all that came to her.

"Creators, this is so frustrating!" Kat pouted and whined. She looked expectantly at Dusty as if the cat would start explaining everything that confused her. Dusty answered by rubbing itself against her again and meowed for attention.

The Gravity Queen sighed, deeply frazzled, but petted Dusty behind the ear anyway. Dusty leaned into her touch, satisfied at the needed scratch, and then unexpectantly pounced away and onto the wall of the drainage pipe above her desk. Polaroids decorated that side of the wall and Dusty pawed gently at a small picture.

"Dusty…," Kat mumbled but rolled over, curious, and stumbled to where her guardian pawed.

It was a polaroid of her and Raven.

Kat's heartbeat pulsed uncertainly.

Kat saddened as she traced Raven's outline in the picture, "Maybe… maybe I should tell her I'm sorry and that this was a big mistake. I don't want to lose what we have… after it took so long to get to where we are now. Heck, maybe this is all just a dream and I'm about to wake up any instant now!"

Dusty gave her a reprimanded cat-like look. Kat stared back as her heart wrestled, restless, at the troubled and grievous thoughts of being untruthful to Raven.

And she knew she wasn't dreaming... because if she was there would be a lot more Lhao skewers and donuts lying around instead of apples and cookies.

"…Ya, you're right Dusty, I need to be honest and hope that Raven understands and feels the same way I do. I can't back down now," Kat grinned conclusively. Dusty purred in affirmation as Kat bubbled with renewed confidence from her guardian's support.

 _I just can't have her run away again..._

The fog outside the drainage pipe seemed lighter, sparser and lifted as crepuscular rays of sunlight pierced through its hazy barrier.

Kat sat on the entrance steps of her drainage pipe home with her head resting in her hands. She watched as tender sunlight danced amidst the sparkling, evaporating mist and light rain.

A familiar song bubbled from within Kat. The moment caused her to recollect the phrases, gently singing.

"A red apple fell from the sky,

across the clouds a gentle sun shines

On the ones we're waiting for."

Dusty rested beside her and, for a long time, they watched for any sign of a magical blue meteor heading towards her.

Kat sneezed again.

Waiting for Raven was torture.

o x o

Raven finished the last step on the long winding staircase at the base of the government building and finally sunk down, her head in her hands, spent. Xii had followed after her and had perched itself on one of the upper stairs.

 _Kat.. silly, silly Kat, what are you doing to me?!_

Her day couldn't possibly get more overwhelming. Yunica's harsh but truthful words had pierced her right through her heart.

How could she show Kat that she meant more to her than anything else when she gave off such an unloving, icy and indifferent aura to everyone?

She took long, deep breaths in to calm herself…

...and smelled the pleasurable scent of sausages and donuts.

A spark - a sweet, beautiful spark came to fruition deep inside of Raven as her hopeful heart willed her to her feet.

Raven rounded the corner and saw that the little food stall still had it glowing lanterns on. The smell of donuts and sausages emanated and beckoned her, hungrily, to come closer. Raven made it to the counter and ogled, starved, at the grilling long sausages and frying donuts with mixed pieces of meat rolled into their dough.

Raven's heart leapt at the thought of giving Kat her long sought after donuts. Slowly, things were falling into their rightful place again.

Raven looked up at the two shopkeepers, ready to order.

Her hope turned into ash as her heart blazed instantly into hatred. The blood in her veins boiled so strongly. She narrowed her raging blue eyes and glared, her appetite lost.

"What are you doing here?!," Raven demanded.

Cyanea, wearing a horrible disguise - a shopkeepers hat and small, black circular glasses - stared crazily back at Raven, her signature twisted blue ponytails hovered in their own anti-gravity. A boy, in rags, stood next to Cyanea, on a stool so his short stature could see over the counter. This boy wasn't a normal boy though because he had a bright yellow third eye transfixed on the dark haired gravity shifter. Unfazed by Raven's rage, he automatically flipped the deep frying donuts, one by one. The actual shopkeeper sat in a chair behind them, in a slumbering, deep unconsciousness.

" _It is us who should be asking you, Sachya, what you are doing here_?" Cyanea's ancient voice spoke as she stared, transfixed, past Raven's intricate moon tattoo at _something_ inside of her.

Confused, Raven replied forcefully, "What are you talking about? I'm allowed to be here."

Cyanea ignored Raven's words entirely, " _You understand that she must not wake from the dream yet... but you are here and your presence is interfering."_

The boy saw Raven comprehend, unsuccessfully, what Cyanea was saying and tried to explain the best way he knew how, "We've started to notice glitches in the world's system. The Dream Guardian tried to correct it but it seems not all the glitches were repaired. There are cracks appearing in you and the other shifter's current existence."

Slowly, Raven strained to piece together their vague messages, relying on instinct that what they were talking about was her and Kat's resurfacing memories and feelings.

"Is this why Kat heard your voice, Cyanea, the night of the the market festival? What did you do to her," Raven coldly insinuated, "Are you trying to stop her from remembering things before Hekseville?"

Cyanea's eye twitched but she characteristically repeated, " _It is to protect the dream-"_

Raven maddened. Her and Kat's feelings weren't toys for the Creators to play with, to pick and choose from, or throw away.

"I don't care about the dream," Raven thundered, "It's not right that you get to decide how this world works! You may be Creators but that doesn't allow you to mess with what's going on between Kat and I! She's confused, she doesn't know what's happening and I don't like seeing her like that! Before I thought that she might just be sick because of the storm... but now I see that you're the ones hurting her! She needs to remember!"

Raven's body and heart blazed like an inferno as the Creators stared silently at her. The grilling sausages darkened and burned, and the bubbles in the donut frying pan intensified. Raven's power swelled and escalated inside of her, growing, in response to their taciturnity. Garbages, bins, newspapers, everything surrounding the small shop lifted from Raven's encompassing gravity.

Through her flames, a thought struck Raven,"And why aren't I having memories resurface of Kat and I?" she demanded, "If you've been suppressing hers, what have you done to mine?!"

The two Creators looked at each other, seeming to communicate on another otherworldly plane without verbally talking outright. Raven took a few sharp inhales, needing to calm herself down. They glanced back at Raven, seeming to be in agreement about something.

The boy explained, slowly, "Sachya… you sacrificed and sealed your memories," he pointed with his tongs to Raven's moon tattoo, "…to save the dream, to protect her memories. You agreed to the dream, some time ago."

He then lifted each donut out of the pan and onto the drying board, "...however, it seems like the emotions tied to your lost memories were not sealed with them, entirely." A part of him did look sad.

Even gods can be moved.

" _She must stay asleep, Sachya, it is not yet time for her to awaken..."_ Cyanea commanded.

Tears, small silver droplets fell from Raven's beautiful, infuriated sapphire eyes. Her whole body shook as she spoke, "I honestly don't even know what you Creators are talking about most of the time… but I beg you, please… please stop trying to "fix" what is going on and trust that Kat and I will know how to deal with it when the time comes..."

Silence ensued. The dark haired girl released her power and the things that were consumed in her gravity fell back down to their original place, sort of.

Raven felt bits and pieces of her heart breaking knowing Kat's memories were being horribly torn apart from her… due to some godforsaken dream!? A dream that she had apparently agreed to and sacrificed her own memories for.

Just then, time and space differed between Raven and the Creators. The sausages and the donuts stopped cooking, the world clock froze as the Creators discussed at great length the implications and dangers of Raven's simple request. Meanwhile, Raven didn't hear any of their conversation because only a few seconds had passed for her.

Finally, Cyanea and Bit, Creators that kept time, space and dreams in harmony to prevent the world pillar from plunging into chaos and despair, came to a resolution.

" _We have decided that we will not interfere in the manifestations that will arise between you and Alua... unless the dream is in emanate danger_ ," the Dream Guardian spoke hauntingly. Cyanea got out a box from under the counter and the boy preceded to use his tongs to put the cooked, but somewhat burnt sausages and fried donuts in it.

She continued forebodingly, " _Be careful that you do not endanger the dream, Sachya_."

The boy Creator further added, "We did not forsee how you and Alua's feelings would transcend so powerfully through this world's space and time rift. Although, bugs do exist in every world system, some are more serious than others. It'll be interesting to observe and see how the circuits play out."

They closed the box, stared deep inside of Raven, and handed it to her.

Raven's tear-stained eyes lingered but she eventually took the box and left, stiffly, without replying. What could she say to that? It was all undeniably confusing to decipher exactly what they said or meant. The Creators had an internary that no human could possibly follow.

She, at least, got the gist that they were going to leave her and Kat alone.

Raven wandered into the train station and collapsed on one of the many benches with the box in her lap, drained well beyond her mental capacity. Beams of hazy sunlight creeped their way in through the station's openings. Streaks of light and shadow carelessly took turns illuminating and darkening the cobbled platform.

However, there was one thing the Creators had said that sparked Raven's attention because it caused her heart to race, excitedly, through her raging storm, at the familiarity of hearing it.

She spun the word in mouth, tasting its sensation and how delicately it rolled off her tongue as she whispered...

"Alua _."_

 _Continued in Chapter 3, Part 2..._

* * *

Thanks for reading!

For Part 2, I'll be changing the rating to M. ~ Cor Caroli V


	4. Chapter 3, Part II

**Chapter 3, Part II**

Dusk settled along the horizon, dancing in playful reds, oranges and golds amongst the retreating clouds and fog. The gentle rain became the only remnant of the vicious storm.

The Banga group descended down the tower stairs, satisfied and weary after their long, drawn out deliberation. They made their way across the train station and came upon Raven. She sat alone on one of the many benches, her black and red hair shimmering in the sunset as her striking, pale blue eyes, were red-rimmed and lost in their own world. A box rested in her lap.

As the group approached, Gawan asked her gently, "Raven, are you all right?"

The gravity shifter turned and faced them, her thoughts on hold for the moment. They all looked at her worriedly.

Raven composed herself and replied reticently, "Ya… I'm fine. I just… I just really needed to get some food." She gripped the box tighter in her hands and stood up. Her body and mind heavy with burden. She noticed Syd stare at her intently.

"How did it go, is it over?" Raven asked and hoped her question would divert the attention away from herself.

Luckily, it did.

Lisa responded evenly, "Yes the meeting's over, but I'm afraid our work to join Hekseville and Jirga Para Lhao has just started. Although it'll take some time to iron out all the details, at least we have a peaceful and collective foundation to stand on... for now."

They entered the awaiting train that would take them back to the air shuttle. Along the way, Lisa, Gawan and Misai took turns explaining to Raven the key points that were addressed during the meeting - the need for an election to choose an overseer, the exchange of non-aggression pacts and trade agreements. Even an investigation into Mayor Brahman's past was brought forth.

As the train trudged steadily along its track, Misai laughed roughly, recollecting, "And they singled Cecie out for ideas on transportation integration! She was able to squeak out a proposal on building a monorail like this one between the two regions and when the whole assembly stared at her, considering it, she keeled over!"

Cecie looked down at her hands, extremely embarrassed. Gawan patted her reassuringly as the train halted at their destination. A few residents had started to emerge out of their homes as they waited along the platform with umbrellas in hand. The warning telecasts had stopped their broadcasting and a few grigos had began to patrol along the pathways.

The sun glinted down, making the rain sparkle as it fell.

Walking past them and up to the air shuttle in the soft rain, Lisa informed Raven, "At the end of meeting we all agreed to assess the damage caused by the storm. So tomorrow, I need you and Kat to help out on the islands that were hardest hit and look out for Nevi, especially since the weather is better," Lisa's tough exterior wavered, her eyes held a slight apologetic look,"…but if Kat's still out of commission, I'll need you to pull double duty then."

The sun reflected its golden rays in Raven's light eyes as she nodded, looking down at the box in her hands. Her heart thundered in her chest at the thought of being reunited with Kat soon.

 _What am I going to say to her? Especially now, since I know about the Creators… and, to an extent, what I did to her memories..._

A few airboats motored underneath the scattered, dark crimson clouds. Flying past with refreshed vitality through the sky, the rain sprinkled off their metal frames. Misai waved from the driver's seat and the Banga group reentered the air shuttle. Xii and a hesitant Raven retook their place on top of the vehicle as it lifted off towards Banga. The settlement's outline, small along the horizon, could be clearly seen in the far distance.

As they flew unhurriedly through the sky, the air shuttle's door unlatched and opened. Syd clambered clumsily out and onto the roof as the wind tossed his white hair carelessly around. He sat beside Raven who narrowed her eyes at him quizzically.

"I couldn't waste this beautiful view any longer after being stuck in such small confinements all day," Syd answered her unspoken question, taking in the expansive world around him with a long inhale of freedom, feeling the rain dampen his face.

"You mean after being hung over all day…," Raven chided quietly. Syd responded by smiling sheepishly, scratching the back of his head.

For a while, they both sat in silence watching the birds fly along the glowing, peaceful sunset. The soft wind and rain caressed them tenderly under the parting clouds. As their air shuttle slowly passed along the marketplace plaza, they noticed the floating island come to life as residents excitedly wandered outside, children jumped and played in puddles like they were obstacles and the evening food stalls rebuilt themselves with blazing lanterns and smoking grills.

Syd took one long hesitant but invigorated breath in, before saying, "You know..., awhile back I once read a story. A story of a girl who lived, trapped, in a tower. And everyday she dreamed of a world beyond her window… until one day, finally, she broke free from it." He grinned, reminiscing about the old, forgotten tale.

Raven furrowed her brows, confused, "Why are you telling me this?" Her long, damp hair tossed diligently behind her in the breeze as she turned her head towards him.

Syd continued to smile, albeit a little sadly, "...Because Raven, your eyes, at the train station, reminded me of what I imagined the little girl's eyes would look like in that tower… stuck between a place of imprisionment and freedom - scared to leave but to scared to stay…," His bright, golden eyes bore into her, questioning, "Why would she be so scared, I wonder?"

Raven flustered, her cold cheeks burned slightly against the rain. How could Syd possibly know what was going on inside of her? Her heart started to thump hard in her chest as she tried to logically understand what Syd was implying.

"…Probably because that's all she knew - her life living inside the tower," Raven replied with a soft iciness. She looked down past her feet that were dangling over the edge of the air shuttle. The rain that fell past, fell down into the endless void of sky as far as her eyes could see.

Syd chuckled gently, "That's what I thought too, at first, but… I think, maybe, she was more afraid of the possibility that the world outside the tower wouldn't accept her, wouldn't let her experience the happiness of being free… because, to her, why else would she be stuck in that tower in the first place."

Raven's heart twisted painfully in her chest. Syd's words seemed to parallel what Raven's heart feared most, down into the deep, dark recesses of her soul.

Would Kat love her... even though Raven had sacrificed her memories… and Kat's memories… from before?

In this existence, in this time and in this space - could they be happy... together?

Raven hesitated, then countered Syd's words, "Well, did it? When she broke free - did the world outside the tower accept the girl for just... her?"

Syd thought for a second, then smiled mischievously, "I'll guess you'll have to tell me…"

At the exact same moment that Raven narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously, Syd put his arm around the gravity shifter and whispered, "…now go and _trust_ her. Don't be afraid to love _again_ ," as he proceeded to purposely push her off of the moving air boat.

As if in slow motion, Raven fell from the air boat. Her long dark tresses floated around her as the rays of light illuminated her descent. Raven fell just like the light raindrops that surrounded her.

 _Again?_

She gripped the donut box tighter, feeling a powerful, hidden but oh so familiar emotion stirring inside her heart.

 _Did I love Kat_?

The question and answer jolted itself like a thunderbolt deep inside of her, filling every nook of her soul. Raven felt it. She felt the brilliant flames of her past love ablaze with such a needed force, stronger than the gravity that pulled her. It consumed her heart and set her self-doubt free. The missing, final piece of the puzzle had found its way home. She loved Kat. All along, her love for the flamboyant, strong-headed gravity shifter lay locked away, buried until now so as not to be taken from her... just like her previous memories had been. But now, that love had resurfaced as if an unknown key had been given to her.

As she fell, Raven glared happily up at Syd's carefree form. He waved nonchalantly from the retreating air shuttle. Syd was… strange, almost too strange. Raven promised herself that she'd have to pummel him later to find out exactly what he knew about her and Kat from before but, for right now, she couldn't waste anymore time as her heart swelled with every beat it gave.

Raven's gravity powers activated, turning her body into an ethereal azure. She darted like a shooting star across the beautiful, colourful sky towards a small drainage pipe home.

o x o

With the donut and sausage box in hand, Raven shifted and landed on Kat's steps outside the drainage pipe. The evening sky had faded into a soft subdued light amidst the serene rain drops. A dry sheet covered the entrance way.

Raven hesitated for a second, running her hand through her wet hair. She released a slow exhale, trying to calm the butterflies in her stomach. She hadn't bothered creating a spherical barrier to shield herself from the rain this time...and it felt refreshing.

With an electrified nervousness, she pushed the entrance sheet to the side and went in.

Inside, everything was the same but cleaner. New candles burned with a glowing ambience against the walls. Bottles, clothes and trinkets were organized neatly. The hot plate was off and out of the way with no tub in sight. Dusty lay curled in his basket, sleeping peacefully to which Xii reappeared and nestled itself against the cat, relaxing.

Raven put the box down and held her breath. She stared intently at the mesmerizing figure, in her work shorts and tank top, slumbering on top of the bedsheets. Kat rested on her side, dozing tranquilly. Her golden hair gently obscured her face and her hands curled under her chin similar to the way Dusty napped.

Raven made her way to the bed and noticed an apple and cookie were placed on the side table with a little note that had ' _For Raven_ ' scribbled on it.

The inner fire inside of Raven's heart burned brightly. Kat was an angel amidst the rubble of Raven's turmoiled emotions. She reached her hand slowly towards the food, hungrily. However, just as she was about to grasp the apple, a quick push of wind hit her out-stretched arm. Surprised, Raven saw a hand and slender fingers encircling her wrist. The owner of the hand, the angel that reflected itself in Raven's pure blue eyes, sprang to life quickly.

Raven stared shocked, realizing she had fallen into a trap. Kat opened her own vibrant, blood-red eyes… and smirked.

"No running away now."

o x o

 _It worked!_

Kat momentarily praised herself, giddily.

Gripping Raven's arm, Kat maneuvered herself through the Lhao arm bar takedown that Fi had taught her awhile back. Using her forward momentum Kat spun Raven, the both of them rolling to the ground with a _thud_ , which caused Kat to end up on top of her. Raven's long, wet hair splayed itself out across the floor, her wrists pinned down above her head by Kat's hands and her hips felt the pressure of Kat's bodyweight.

Raven's bright blue eyes steeled themselves against Kat's determined red orbs. Their faces took in the other, their breathing staggered. Kat couldn't help but notice that between Raven's exposed one-piece, her pale skin had small, tiny goosebumps. Her hair, eyes and skin contrasted beautifully with each other as she lay restrained by Kat's own hands on the coarse rug.

 _Raven really does look incredible when she's wet like this… knew it._

Raven's face and chest showed a hint of hotness, but she spoke evenly, "I'm not going to run away, silly. Why do you think I came back?"

 _I guess she has a point…_ Kat thought sheepishly but she had already initiated her plan so she couldn't turn back now as the Gravity Queen held back her sniffles.

"I need to make sure you're not going to shift off like last time. You gave me no choice," Kat countered, her heart pounded hard in her chest, "… and I'm not taking any chances."

She then enacted the next step of her strategy when she whispered, "Jupiter…"

Kat's powers encompassed her. Gold-plated armour materialized around her wrists and legs. Kat's gravity-weight strengthened as she felt herself sink lower into Raven. The dark haired girl released a sharp exhale at the sudden change in mass. With a slightly pained expression, Raven glanced down quickly at her side.

"Kat, you're-"

Kat's determination flared and she cut off Raven brazenly, "-I want answers Raven. Just tell me what happened last night and I'll release you… and then, you can have the cookie and apple too."

The pinned girl hesitated, taking in Kat's unwavering stubbornness. Raven altered her hips slightly to make Kat's Jupiter-style weight more bearable. The movement caused both girls to realize the kind of position they were in and the underlying sensations that came with it, although neither of them had any thought of backing down. Instead, the air between the two girls thickened with an unspoken lure of amenity.

"Please Raven…," Kat's voice coaxed and pouted, which made Raven's face and chest start a fire underneath her skin.

Raven stared up at Kat. The candles flickered against the walls expectantly and the room became silent. There was really no turning back now.

"I kissed you last night," the words fell simply from Raven's tongue but they held their own unimaginable heaviness.

"Oh well that's nothing-,"

Kat's rehearsed line fell flat in her mouth.

 _Huh?_

 _What?_

Kat's crimson eyes widened and her face became scorched upon registering what Raven had just said.

 _Did she just say she kissed me last night?!_

Kat felt her world turn upside down, even without her gravity powers. It stunned her into speechlessness.

In that moment, Kat realized that they weren't just friends anymore. Something memorizing inside of Raven, in Raven's eyes, enraptured itself around Kat's paralyzed, but at the same time, quickening heart.

Taking advantage of Kat's inability to talk at the moment, Raven continued on delicately, "And when I kissed you... I _felt_ what you described when… when you grabbed my hands this morning and told me all those things... I felt it Kat." Raven then gave her a half-nervous, half-reassuring smile. Kat saw that Raven's impenetrable barriers were crumbling down. She was exposed just like a Nevi's ruby jewelled core.

Kat couldn't let this opportunity pass.

Somehow regaining her ability to communicate, Kat stammered, "Really? You felt like... we had been like this before? Does this mean..." Her heart couldn't beat fast enough with an incredible purity as Raven nodded slowly.

"Yes, silly. I…I love you Kat and I want to be with you… _again_ , as it seems. If this is what it felt like being with you from before... then I don't want to stop it," Raven murmured tenderly, her transfixing blue eyes full of deep, resurfacing emotions of yearning and affection.

The last of the evening light had faded into the sensual velvet of the dark night. The candles burned, illuminating their faces in a soft glow, making Kat's eyes shine and glisten with unshed tears.

Raven narrowed her piercing eyes, trying to read Kat's expression in the candlelight, "I'm sorry if this is overwhelming... I hope this doesn't-"

Kat couldn't resist it anymore, she was so happy that she pressed her lips against Raven's and kissed the girl under her with an urgent, sweet tenderness. Her heart beat with such a loving ferocity for Raven. A love that Kat now knew that Raven felt too.

Raven's eyes widened in surprise at how her mouth was silenced but it melted away as she started to reciprocate Kat's kiss.

Raven's lips were so intoxicatingly soft, warm and succulent. It was like kissing the petals of a rare and beautiful flower. Kat knew she should of been gentle with them but her passion blazed and burned with an uncontrollable desire at being reunited with her other half. The familiarity of kissing Raven felt so _right_ that everything that she could think of blurred in comparison to her current insurmountable pleasure.

And Raven, in response, willingly accepted and vigorously matched Kat's increasing and unbound amorous advances.

Releasing her Jupiter-style form, Kat entwined their hands together and eagerly molded her hips, stomach and breasts against Raven's body.

Raven let out a shocked, quiet moan. Something else, other than love, was taking over her. She let a word, lustfully, escape from between their consuming kisses.

"Alua…"

Suddenly, a shockwave of a memory resurfaced in Kat.

The familiar name, the emotions associated with it and how it came from Raven caused this memory to imprint itself so strongly in Kat's mind. It didn't fade or disappear. There was no Cyanea stopping space and time to interrupt its manifestation from resurfacing. Kat let the memory take over as she moaned back ecstatically into Raven's kiss.

She remembered every detail, every sight, every sound and every touch of that long, forgotten, magnificent memory.

o x o

Midway through Sachya's kiss, Alua moaned, "You know, I've been waiting all day for this!"

Alua, in her royal attire, had discarded her regal headwear as soon as she saw the dark-haired beauty enter her monarchical bedchamber. She had raced from her writing desk to wrap her arms around Sachya's neck and assail her with hungry kisses. The awaiting attendant that let Sachya in barely had enough to time to close the doors behind her, giving them their much needed privacy.

"Believe me, it wasn't on purpose. Council meetings do feel like they drag on forever… my Queen," Sachya managed out. She wrapped her arms around Alua's waist, pulling her body closer to hers, kissing her back.

Alua drew back momentarily, glared and commanded, "Sachya, you know I'm not _your_ Queen! So, stop saying that or else…!"

Then she tangled her hands in Sachya's long, dark hair and forcefully brought her lips down upon hers as punishment, which really wasn't a punishment for the other girl at all.

"If I don't say it, Xicero always gives me the dirtiest of looks. I swear it feels like that shrewd politician will stab someone in the back someday," Sachya said shortly between their kisses. She started to hastily undress out of her white Senate robes, unaccustomed to wearing so much clothing.

The royal heiress clambered back and fumbled with her own intricate, queenly attire. Her face progressively flushed at her inability to get out of her own robes.

Alua said exasperatedly, "Ugh, Xicero is harmless! Everybody knows that… but more importantly, can we focus on more _critical_ matters that, at present, require our greatest attention?"

Sachya undid her robe's last button. Gracefully, it parted down the middle, exposing the pale, blue-eyed girl's revealing undergarments. Alua reveled in Sachya's undeniable, angelic beauty, feeling her heart-strings being ravished every which way, in the best of ways.

A delicate button flew off of Alua's garment. The wardrobe malfunction made Sachya laugh beautifully as she gently brushed her hair back behind her. In response, Alua turned all the more crimson even though it didn't stop her from smiling any less.

"Of course... let's focus on more _critical_ matters… my Queen," Sachya teased. The blonde-haired girl stuck her tongue out in retaliation at hearing ' _my Queen_ ' being uttered from her lover again.

Sachya smiled, accustomed to Alua's playful expression. She activated her gravity powers, glowing an ethereal blue. She encompassed the chosen ruler of Eto in her gravity, taking in Alua's surprised and widened eyes at feeling herself go weightless.

The dark haired beauty walked with Alua as Sachya shifted her easily across the room and above her expansive, circular bed. She dropped Alua down gracefully along the edge of the soft bedsheets and planted a firm, deep kiss on the Queen's enticing lips.

Alua started to pull the other girl down on top of her, craving more.

Sachya resisted, and instead confronted her partner bluntly, "Alua, before we go any further, can you tell me what's bothering you?" She held Alua at arm's length, sat next to her on the bed and analyzed her with her piercing blue eyes.

Alua huffed, folding her arms across her chest, "How do you possibly know if something is troubling me?"

Sachya raised a delicate, amused eye brow, "Because I know you… I know every part of you, actually," she spoke alluringly. If that wasn't enough to arouse Alua's sexual pleasures, Sachya proceeded to raise Alua's chin with one hand, meeting her lips gently with her own.

It didn't take Alua very long after that to cave in.

Alua sighed, settled down and confided, "…You may think me selfish for saying this but… as the ruler of Eto, all I do is listen to people talk all day in the cathedral… the same old people. Everyday. It's repetitious without having the feeling that things are progressing. It gets to a point where I wonder if I'm doing any good here? Am I really making a difference when…," the Queen glanced longingly across her room where an opened window brought in a light breeze, "what I really want is to get outside the castle and help, not just the people of Eto, but everyone along the world pillar with my very own guardian."

Alua's red eyes kept looking out the window with a look of utter desolation, lost.

Sachya frowned. She brought Alua's eyes back to her by entwining their hands together, and pressing into them reassuringly.

Sachya spoke confidently, "From what I gathered since I've arrived at Eto... didn't the Senate seek you out due to a divine revelation? So, if that's the case, you're not selfish. It's okay to feel like that sometimes… but this means you're meant to rule the people of Eto for a very important purpose, Alua. You were chosen for a reason, but it hasn't come to pass yet."

Alua's eyes wavered but continued to look plaintive.

Sachya carried on with more optimism in her words this time, "And as for your guardian, it will come! I wish I could tell you how Xii came to me, but I honestly don't remember how. I know that it happens when the time is right. So… in the meantime, you should be preparing and… thinking about what you're going to name your guardian _when_ it arrives!"

Sachya then smiled adorably and convincingly at her. Alua's heart leapt. She couldn't help but melt into that smile and her words. Her heart willingly gave itself over to Sachya for safe keeping. Sachya always knew how to make her feel better.

Alua agreed, perked up, and smiled genuinely, "I suppose you're right… and actually... I already have a name picked out."

"Oh. Do tell," Sachya kissed her as a form of bribery to divulge Alua's soon-to-be name for her guardian.

Alua laughed sheepishly, "Well… I'm sure you'll find it ridiculous but when I sat at my writing desk one day, I looked around my chamber. It was spotless Sachya! The attendants are absolutely adamant that they have everything immaculate. No mess, no untidiness, no dust even! And I was thinking, if I had it my way, if I _could_ have it my way, I would have it messy, I would have it untidy… and I would have it Dusty! My guardian would be a reflection of my own choices and my own free will… so I'd name him Dusty!"

Silence.

A long period of silence past.

Alua reddened, embarrassed.

 _Maybe I went a little to far letting Sachya know that._

However, in the next second, Sachya's laugh reverberated throughout the bedchamber wholeheartedly with tears in her eyes. To Alua, it was agonizingly breathtaking - if that laugh was the last thing she ever heard in this life then she'd die happy. Alua kept smiling as nothing but pure radiance and joy came out of Sachya. Her heart burst lovingly in her chest. She dare not move or breathe as to not shatter the moment.

Drying her tears with her sleeve, Sachya confessed through her fading laughter, "Oh my Creator, Alua, you capitative and enthrall my heart at every turn... But, you're right, I do think it's ridiculous naming a guardian after your inability to clean up... but I think it suits you completely and I love you very much for that. I'm positive Dusty will love its name."

The two girls gazed at each other with a deep, affectionate bond and brought their lips together in a slow, passionate kiss. Any kind of sadness that Alua had felt before was completely obliterated in Sachya's unyielding love.

Alua broke the kiss and said, "You know, being Queen of Eto and the world pillar isn't really that bad... now that you're here… although I still find it odd that Bit rifted you here from your world pillar to mine without a reason… Are you sure he didn't mention why?," Alua then teased, "What if I want to send you back one day?"

Sachya smiled and narrowed her piercing blue eyes at her as she went along with Alua's jest, "No, he didn't mention why. And besides, if he did, it probably wouldn't of made any sense to me anyway, " she elegantly unbuttoned and unhinged the rest of the constraints on Alua's regal clothing, "… And as for sending me back… then who would undress you... like this... when you, clearly, cannot."

Sachya gracefully finished with the last button on Alua's robes. The gown gently slipped off her shoulders, revealing soft olive skin.

Alua, in turn, felt her heart beat considerable faster and harder as Sachya gave her a quick peck on the lips, then stood and knelt in front of the attractive blonde-haired girl that sat on the edge of her bed. Alua was bewitched in the sky blue eyes of the girl kneeling before her, at the end of her bed, ready to pleasure her.

"Now let's focus our attention on more _critical_ matters," Sachya whispered seductively as Alua blushed at her own words being turned against her so pleasurably. Her whole body started to drip with arousal after that small, simple sentence.

Sachya concentrated her powers on Alua again. She manipulated Alua's gravity but this time only the Queen's robes dropped down. They fell from her shoulders and onto the bed, encircling her and exposing her bare breasts and back.

Alua's face heated as she felt Sachya study her comparably smaller breasts, feeling all of a sudden self conscious but undeniably horny. Feebly, she tried to distract the voluptuous gravity shifter from her breasts by asking, "But I was just about to ask what your world pillar was like, Sachya?"

Definitely not distracted, Sachya smiled gently while cupping and kneading Alua's breasts with her indulging hands, "Oh, my world pillar? The one that I've told you about a hundred times… with colossal buildings, " she gave Alua's nipples a light pinching, hardening them,"… islands with candles and shells and then my castle, with all its aqueducts... I don't think it's of a concern to you right now… _my_ Queen."

Alua, painstakingly, was having the hardest time focusing on what Sachya was saying. The sensation of having her breasts fondled was just scrapping the surface of her pleasures.

And there was no mistaking it. Sachya was really _really_ good with her hands. Desire started to take over and consume her. Alua wanted Sachya to touch her everywhere, to do whatever she wanted to her. She hungered for Sachya's affection as if she had not eaten in years.

Alua couldn't take it anymore; she wanted more. And she wanted it now.

"Sachya… please," Alua pouted, her fiery red eyes held an agonizing yearning that could not be extinguished by simple drops of water.

That sound, and that pleading look that Alua gave caused Sachya to flush deeply and obey. Her long dark locks fell in waves around her as she brought her lips to Alua's awaiting, swelling breasts and hardened nipples. She licked and suckled them as if she, herself, were starving.

Alua closed her eyes, feeling the aching between her legs intensity as Sachya worked. She tangled her hands in her lover's silky, dark hair, whimpering irresistibly as she felt Sachya's tongue caress and possess her in small intricate circles and firm flicks.

There really was no denying that Sachya was really _really_ good with her mouth too.

Alua's throbbing private regions pulsed and fluctuated longingly, but impatiently. She wanted Sachya to do more and more things to her. Now.

"Sachya… please… I-"

Sachya stopped everything. She looked up at Alua with a hint of carnal teasing in her eyes.

Provocatively, Sachya asked, "Is there anything else you need, Alua?"

The atmosphere between them was so thick with lust, Alua could barely form coherent words and thoughts at the moment. Her eyes were heavy with pleasure, her body flushed and her breathing came in short, laboured bursts. Her body was beckoning for Sachya to be inside of her, to be one with her.

Alua exhaled deeply, "I need you, Sachya… all I would ever need in this time and space will always be you... I can't imagine anything else in this existence that could compare."

Sachya's eyes shined irresistibly but she insisted further, "Are you sure, _my Queen_?"

Alua glared hotly, knowing Sachya was now just toying with her pent-up ecstasy, "Creators!… of course I'd always like some Eto delicacies as well, but right now Sachya… I need you to make love to me! I can't take it anymore!"

Being sexually teased like this was so erotically infuriating. She had been waiting all day for this and Sachya was just prolonging her suffering… and loving it.

 _But Creators, is she ever fucking breath-taking when she's like this!_

Sachya sighed, satisfied at achieving what she wanted to hear and parted Alua's gown slowly. She traced her hands down Alua's chest, waist, hips and legs, taking in every piece of her. She smiled as she watched the girl's reaction as she travelled down further. Gently, she separated and splayed Alua's knees, absolutely enjoying the sight that lay before her. Alua's hot wetness dripped between her legs, her pink folds soaked in anticipation. It capitulated Sachya's own desires to new heights.

"I think I'll have myself an Eto delicacy right now…," Sachya licked her lips as she moved her fingers around Alua's engorged clit, getting it well-lubricated with Alua's own juices. Sachya quickly tasted her finger, tasting the liquid's light sweetness against her tongue. Enticingly, she looked up at Alua with her finger in her mouth.

Alua's sexual libido sky rocketed. She really couldn't take it anymore. She jerked and pulled Sachya down on top of her. Laying with her back against the bed, Alua thrusted her tongue deep into Sachya's mouth and devoured her with open kisses without abandon. Sachya returned it all vigorously. Their mouthes and tongues duelled in a lover's conquest, battling for possession over the other,.

Sachya further led the conquest with her hands. She massaged Alua's breasts with one while her other hand trailed down to Alua's throbbing vagina. Sachya explored the blonde haired girls' outer soft, swelling lips with slender fingers. She then moved up, teased and rubbed Alua's clit in sync with the girl's quivering hips.

"Sachya…," Alua panted as she shuddered pleasurably under Sachya's touch, grasping the bedsheets.

Sachya trailed butterfly kisses down Alua's petite neck, firm breasts and smooth stomach. Gracefully, she stripped off her Senate robes and knelt back down along the side of the bed where she originally positioned herself before.

"Didn't I say I wanted an Eto delicacy," Sachya mused as she raised Alua's bare legs over her shoulders so her face was in direct contact with Alua's vagina. She dipped her head and kissed Alua's slick, dripping sex curiously… then licked again… and again.

Alua was so _so_ wet.

Sachya's tongue wasted no time ravishing Alua's lower lips and clitoris. Alua gasped and exhaled sharply at the pleasure of having Sachya explore every bit of her. Powerful sexual energy shot up and down her body, enveloping her in a glistening light sweat.

Before she had time to completely register all the pleasurable sensations that the dark hair girl's tongue was doing, Sachya slipped two fingers past Alua's engorged folds and into her tight opening, thrusting up and against her inner walls.

Alua cried out and gripped the bedsheets, arching her back, in pure ecstasy. Feeling Sachya deep inside of her, filling and releasing her repeatedly, their was no greater sexual paradise than this.

Sachya's fingers were slow at first, studying the ridges and enclosed confines of the blonde hair girl's sex until she found the spot that made Alua's body jolt like a thunderbolt. Her tongue continued to assail her large clit, licking and sucking; building momentum ever higher towards Alua's blissful apex.

 _Creators… do I love it when she finds my spot._

Alua's senses narrowed and peaked; her climax was coming like an approaching storm.

"Sachya… please, don't stop! Keep going," Alua moaned, gripping the girl's hair. Sachya's sped up her fingers and tongue. Her tongue flicked relentlessly against her swollen lady bit, attacking it with such a divine retribution.

Alua could feel her orgasm coming. Her legs began to tremble uncontrollably and her entire body was amounting so much heat that her face and chest flushed involuntarily. She couldn't resist the overwhelming sensations as she panted and bucked. Sachya had to stabilize herself by grabbing onto Alua's thigh or else be knocked over while she persisted to thrust and lick.

"Sachya, I'm… I'm cu-"

Outside the queen's bedchamber the two guards stood uncomfortably as they heard her royal heiress climax ecstatically.

Alua's inner muscles tightened on Sachya's rapid fingers. She came hard. Her legs wrapped forcefully around Sachya's head. Small amounts of juices flowed out of her and into the dark haired girl's mouth. Her orgasm thundered and crashed like a vicious storm and struck every part of her being. Alua, euphorically, found nirvana in Sachya's lovemaking.

Minutes ticked by as the raging storm calmed and passed.

Sachya waited patiently between the Queen's contracted thighs to release her trapped head. Not that she minded though as her fingers trailed along Alua's hips and legs lightly as Alua's body went limp and numb with satisfaction.

Finally, Alua released her entangled hands from Sachya's long, dark hair, allowing the shifter to unbind her head from Alua's legs and rise and meet her glistening eyes.

Sachya slowly and carefully removed her fingers from Alua's orgasmed sex, watching as Alua sighed tenderly but regretfully, sad that it was over.

With so much conviction, Alua breathed, "I love you Sachya."

Sachya wiped her moistened brow, smiling sweetly. Fluidly, she lay beside Alua, her eyes so full of love and affection for the transfixing girl next to her.

"I love you too, Alua. The way you look… right now, I've never seen anything more beautiful in my life," Sachya whispered, to which Alua curled her lips with a sheepish contentment. She caressed Sachya's face and placed adoring kisses all around her pale, blue eyes. Time and space didn't seem to exist for the two girls. In that moment, the only thing that mattered was them, and only them, and the love they shared for one another.

They lay, enjoying each other's entwined hearts and bodies, smiling, touching and kissing for some time. They had no awareness of the world beyond their bedchamber because the most important thing in their own world rested right there in front of them.

 _Kat!_

An echo. It lingered in the air like lazy clouds in the sky. Alua perked her ears slightly but she ignored it and the tingling feeling on her skin. Her mind was linearly made up to sexually outcompete Sachya's cunnilingus performance. She wanted Sachya to feel exactly what she just felt and more so.

"Alua, what are you doing?" Sachya asked affectionately as she watched Alua push herself up and on top of her with a determined stubbornness. Alua's legs were still shaky but she managed to straddle the beautiful dark haired girl who was looking up at her with one raised, amused eyebrow.

 _Kat!_

Mischievously, Alua retorted, "What do you think I'm doing? Obviously, I am going to make love to _you_ now because…dutifully, a Queen's work is never done." Her eyes trailed up and down Sachya, taking in the sight beneath her. Her mind rested on her partner's perfectly sized breasts still locked in their constraints. Above them, there was no ornate moon tattoo etched on her chest.

The foreign Eto girl smirked as Alua unclipped Sachya's bra from the front, releasing her gorgeous orbs.

"As you are mine, I am yours… _my Queen,"_ Sachya pledged, teasingly.

Alua glared lovingly, "Precisely. Now let me do what I've been waiting all day to do to you... _my princess_." Her mind succumbed to her desires easily. Alua closed her eyes briefly, mentally deciding on all the wonderful things she was about to do to Sachya.

Then suddenly...

 _Kat... Kat come back to me!_

...Alua's memory vanished. In its place, Kat's world came crashing back down around her.

 _Continued in Epilogue..._

* * *

Thanks for reading!

I didn't want to delay the chapter any longer so there will be a short epilogue chapter to wrap things up.


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